The Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in the United States has revealed that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is receiving care following a urinary tract infection he contracted after undergoing surgery in December to treat prostate cancer.
In a statement issued by the Department of Defense, the medical center stated, "He is rid of the infection. He continues to make progress and we anticipate a full recovery, but it may be a slow process."
The statement also highlighted, "During his stay, Secretary Austin never lost consciousness and was never under general anesthesia."
Meanwhile, the White House reported that President Joe Biden was unaware of the 70-year-old Defense Secretary's prostate cancer diagnosis until Tuesday, mere minutes after it was publicly disclosed.
Austin, a retired general who once led U.S. forces in Iraq, was admitted to the Walter Reed Medical Center on January 1st—a fact kept hidden from the American public, the White House, and Congress for most of the last week, sparking widespread political criticism.
Kathleen Hicks, Austin’s deputy, remained unaware of his condition for several days, even after she was asked to undertake some of his responsibilities on January 2nd during a vacation in Puerto Rico.
Republican Outrage
White House spokesperson John Kirby said, "Biden was not informed until last Thursday that Secretary Austin was in the hospital. And he wasn't aware until this morning, Tuesday, that the primary reason for his hospital stay was prostate cancer."
Kirby added, "No one in the White House knew Secretary Austin had prostate cancer until this morning, and the President was immediately briefed after that."
Although Austin and Biden spoke on Saturday, it remains unclear why Biden was not aware of Austin's condition until Tuesday.
Republicans consider this incident evidence of Austin's dereliction of duty. U.S. Representative Mike Rogers wrote in a letter to Austin on Tuesday stating, "In the midst of wars in Ukraine and Israel, the notion that neither the White House nor even your deputy understood the nature of your condition is wholly unacceptable."
Austin is directly after Biden in the U.S. military chain of command, and his duties require him to be available at any moment to address any national security crisis.
This includes the constant readiness to enter into secure communications with other officials in the event of an imminent nuclear attack, which could be challenging from an intensive care unit bed.
Some prominent Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, have called for Austin's dismissal, but the Pentagon stated that he does not intend to resign. The White House also declared that Biden is not seeking his removal.
