'Hope they paid her well’: Outrage as Lloyd Austin’s chief of staff steps down after being blamed for his hospitalization secrecy

Kelly Magsamen was one of the very few people who knew about Lloyd Austin’s issues stemming from a prostatectomy that resulted in his admission
UPDATED JUN 6, 2024
Lloyd Austin’s chief of staff Kelly Magsamen is leaving her post (X/ @SecDef and defense.gov)
Lloyd Austin’s chief of staff Kelly Magsamen is leaving her post (X/ @SecDef and defense.gov)

WASHINGTON, DC: Lloyd Austin’s chief of staff, who reportedly faced the music after keeping his hospitalization during the New Year's hidden from the White House, is now renouncing her position in June.

Kelly Magsamen was one of the very few people who knew about Austin’s issues stemming from a then-recent prostatectomy that resulted in his admission to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

But she failed to inform about it to the White House or senior Pentagon staff at the time, as reported by NBC News.

Lloyd Austin applauds Kelly Magsamen

Later, she was held responsible but eventually Defense Department spokesman Air Force Brig Gen Pat Ryder clarified that Magsamen could not pass on the information because she was also sick at the time, The New York Post reported.

Though it’s not clear yet why is she stepping down, Austin has expressed admiration for her.

In a statement, he said, “From day one of this administration, Kelly’s leadership, counsel, and selfless service made our nation safer, made the lives of our people better and more rewarding, and rendered the heavy burden of this office of mine a good bit lighter.”

He continued, “At every stage, she provided a steady hand guiding our staff and the Department. I am — and will remain — in her debt,” before adding, “If there is a better example of exemplary public service at a challenging time, I do not know of it.”

Netizens believe Kelly Magsamen’s resignation is not fair

Meanwhile, people online have shown their disapproval of Magsamen’s resignation as an X user tweeted, “Ahh she took it for the team..”



 

The second user wrote, “Hope they paid her well to take the bullet.”



 

The third user said, “Why Austin not RESIGNING, instead they’re firing the innocent lady. Insane.”



 

“Why do democrats fail at taking responsibility for themselves? Hope she at least got paid for that…” the fourth user stated.



 

“She needs to be fired with no Government benefits OR was she a scapegoat OR is she getting a promotion? You know F*ck up Move Up, isn't that the DemoncRat motto?” the fifth one added.



 

A tweet read, "Surprise, surprise. Guess someone's gotta take the fall for Austin's lack of transparency. Wonder what other secrets are hiding behind those Pentagon doors."



 

An individual on Facebook wrote, “He should step down with her.”

“The liberals always find a Scapegoat. I'm surprised that they haven't found something to blame Trump for,” another one noted.

The third one added, “ALWAYS someone else’s fault according to the person who is responsible for their actions.”

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Glenn Greenwald slammed Elizabeth Warren for applauding Trump’s remarks on Iran at SOTU despite posting a ‘no war with Iran’ message
3 hours ago
Mary Trump criticized Republican leaders on X, calling their praise of Trump’s SOTU a 'self-own' and sparking online debate
3 hours ago
Al Green protested after President Donald Trump’s account shared an AI video depicting Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes, sparking outrage
4 hours ago
Gavin Newsom said President Donald Trump will not step aside and will try to control any Republican succession battle
4 hours ago
Video from the chamber showed Republicans enthusiastically applauding, while some Democrats remained seated during portions of the recognition
5 hours ago
Trump’s 2026 State of the Union lasted 1 hour, 47 minutes, 40 seconds, setting a record for the longest congressional address
5 hours ago
Kamala Harris said about 40% of Americans lack birth certificates and argued that the SAVE Act would unfairly block eligible voters from registering
6 hours ago
Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the contrast was no longer about political ideology but about what she described as 'normal vs crazy'
6 hours ago
Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave Program Director Greg Norfleet, a Tim Walz appointee, confirmed there was documentation backing it up
6 hours ago
Thom Tillis also questioned the logic of assigning the same two individuals to handle multiple complex conflicts simultaneously
7 hours ago