U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, already under scrutiny for leaked messages about attacks on Yemeni Houthi rebels, is facing new criticism for bringing his wife to sensitive meetings with foreign military officials discussing classified matters, according to Anadolu.
Jennifer Austin, a former Fox News producer who is not employed by the Department of Defense, attended a meeting on March 6 at the Pentagon with British Defense Secretary John Healy and Admiral Tony Radakin, Chief of the British General Staff, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The discussions reportedly focused on the temporary suspension of U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine and future cooperation between allies.
Pentagon officials have not confirmed whether Austin’s wife has the security clearance typically required for spouses of senior officials.
She also accompanied her husband to a recent NATO meeting in Brussels, where support for Ukraine was on the agenda.
Some foreign participants allegedly did not know her identity, while others were surprised but continued with the discussions.
Media reports also noted that Austin’s brother, Philip, has been accompanying him on recent trips.
Earlier this week, Austin faced criticism for sharing details about the attack on Yemeni Houthis via a commercial messaging app and failing to notice a journalist who was invited to a chat, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information, including U.S. and Israeli intelligence sources.
