US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has transferred duties to his deputy while in hospital for an “emergent bladder issue”, the Pentagon has said. Mr Austin, 70, is in the critical care unit at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Virginia.
Officials said it is unclear how long he will remain in hospital. The defense secretary was under scrutiny for failing to disclose his prostate cancer diagnosis and hospital stays in December and January. On Sunday afternoon, the Pentagon released a statement saying Mr. Llyod Austin had been taken to Walter Reed for treatment, adding that the White House and senior defense officials had been notified.
What Hospital Updated About Lloyd Austin?
The hospital updated the public later on Sunday, stating that the secretary had been taken to the critical care unit “for supportive care and close monitoring” following tests.
After being diagnosed with prostate cancer in December, Mr.Llyod Austin’s physicians stated that the bladder problem was not likely to interfere with his “anticipated full recovery”. “His cancer prognosis remains excellent.”
This week, Mr. Llyod Austin was supposed to go to Brussels for a meeting on Wednesday over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Whether his medical stay will interfere with their plans is yet unknown. As part of his cancer therapy, Mr. Llyod Austin underwent surgery in late 2018.
Due to complications from the treatment, he was readmitted to the hospital on New Year’s Day with significant pain in his leg, hip, and abdomen. After a diagnosis of a urinary tract infection, he spent more than two weeks in the hospital. It took the Biden administration and senior defense officials three days after Mr. Llyod Austin’s re-admission in January to learn that he was very ill.
What did Mr. Lloyd Austin say in the press conference?
At last week’s press conference, Mr. Llyod Austin stated he had never given orders to any staff member to conceal his hospital stay from the White House or the public. However, he did not address inquiries regarding whether or not staff members had disregarded his instructions.
But the defense secretary did offer an apology, saying he was “deeply sorry” for not giving President Joe Biden the proper warning. He said, “I didn’t handle this right.” “I should have told the president about my cancer diagnosis.” One of the most significant cabinet members is the secretary of defense, ranked just behind the president in the US military’s chain of command.
Three independent investigations of Llyod Austin’s management of his sickness and hospital visits were initiated as a result of the event, which raised questions about security and openness. Prominent Republicans demanded that Mr.Llyod Austin be fired from his position.
While standing by Llyod Austin, President Biden expressed his confidence in his secretary’s ability to lead, but he also said it was “sub-optimal” that he had not revealed the severity of his condition.
At the end of this month, he is expected to appear before Congress over his failure to warn government authorities. In 2020, Llyod Austin a retired four-star general became the first African-American to hold the position of defense secretary.
