Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Undergoes Further Hospitalization Following Cancer Treatment Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was admitted to...

 

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Undergoes Further Hospitalization Following Cancer Treatment

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was admitted to the hospital on Sunday due to "symptoms indicating an urgent bladder problem," according to a statement from the Pentagon.

In the afternoon of Sunday, he delegated his responsibilities to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks.

Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder stated in a release, "The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the White House, and Congress have all been informed."

As of Sunday evening, Austin remained hospitalized, as per the Pentagon's statement.

This Sunday afternoon announcement follows shortly after Austin's prostate cancer diagnosis in early December, which led to his hospitalization on December 22 for a related procedure.

He transferred his duties to Hicks the next day, without her or President Biden being aware of his hospitalization. On January 1, he was hospitalized again due to complications from the initial procedure. President Biden was only informed of the hospitalization on January 4.

In December, Austin received a diagnosis of prostate cancer and underwent a prostatectomy procedure on December 22 to address it. However, complications arose over the subsequent week, leading to his ambulance transport to Walter Reed Medical Center on January 1, due to severe pain. He was subsequently admitted to the intensive care unit and remained at Walter Reed until January 15. Afterward, he continued his recovery and work from home, ultimately returning to the Pentagon on January 29. Medical professionals have affirmed that Austin's prognosis regarding the cancer is "excellent" and that no further treatments are necessary. While Austin has made follow-up visits to Walter Reed since his initial hospitalization, this recent trip marks his first unplanned visit due to ongoing complications from his cancer treatments. Notably, Austin did not disclose his December cancer diagnosis or initial hospitalization to President Joe Biden, Congress, or his deputy defense secretary for several weeks. This secrecy has prompted an investigation by the inspector general and an internal review within the Pentagon. Austin has maintained that he did not instruct his staff to keep his hospitalization a secret.