Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s chief of staff to step down

The chief of staff to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will announce Wednesday that she is stepping down, according to a senior administration official and a person familiar with her plans. 

Kelly Magsamen was one of the very few people informed that Austin was in the hospital on New Year’s Day, but she did not inform the White House or senior Pentagon staff.

The Pentagon press secretary later blamed the oversight in part on Kelly also being sick. She was the one who eventually called the White House to inform them that Austin was in the intensive care unit at Walter Reed.

Magsamen was seen as one of Austin’s closest advisers. She could not immediately be reached, and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.