PENTAGON Chief Lloyd Austin was reportedly treated for prostate cancer in early December 2023, and was hospitalized last week due to complications from the procedure.
This is what the Walter Reed National Medical Center revealed recently, amid criticisms on why the Biden administration had been kept in the dark regarding Austin’s hospitalization.
The 70-year-old Pentagon chief’s hospital stay was kept secret not only from the White House and U.S. lawmakers but also from the American public for several days.
The Pentagon first mentioned the absence of its chief last week, telling the media that he had resumed his duties.
But over the weekend, reports emerged that Austin was still at the hospital, working remotely and that he had not informed the president nor the national security about his absence.
Meanwhile, two Walter Reed officials released a statement, saying that, Austin was diagnosed with prostate cancer during a screening early last month and went in for a “minimally invasive surgical procedure” called prostatectomy on December 22.
On December 22, 2023, after consultation with his medical team, he was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure called a prostatectomy to treat and cure prostate cancer.
Austin was under general anesthesia but “recovered uneventfully” and went home the next morning, the statement signed by Trauma Medical Director Dr. John Maddox and Dr. Gregory Chesnut from the Center for Prostate Disease Research said.
On January 1, however, Austin was readmitted with a urinary tract infection that had caused fluid accumulation in his stomach and intestines and severe pain. He was placed in an intensive care unit on January 2.
Austin’s infection has since cleared, and he “continues to make progress,” and the doctors anticipate a full recovery, though they noted that “this can be a slow process.”
He continues to make progress and we anticipate a full recovery although this can be a slow process.
The statement further read that Austin “never lost consciousness and never underwent general anesthesia” during the second stay at the hospital.
Meanwhile, asked when Biden found out about cancer, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that he was only informed that day about the Pentagon chief’s diagnosis.
Kirby also said that Biden and Austin have not spoken to each other since their last interaction over the weekend.
“Nobody at the White House knew that Secretary Austin had prostate cancer until this morning,” John Kirby, NSC Spokesman stated.
Whitehouse spokesperson, Karine Jean Pierre, was also questioned as to why Biden did not know that Austin has cancer.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon said it was informed of the diagnosis on the same day.
