The US Secretary of Defense hospitalized again
The Pentagon announced Friday that Secretary Lloyd Austin will re-enter Walter Reed Medical Center for a follow-up to a bladder problem, and that the White House and Congress have been informed, with his deputy temporarily assuming his duties.
The Pentagon said Austin’s procedure was simple and non-surgical, but Austin decided he would be unable to perform his duties and assigned his vice president.
Austin, (70), entered Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland and underwent surgery with full anesthesia on Dec. 22 to treat prostate cancer.
He returned to hospital on the first of January, due to complications that included a urinary tract infection.
Austin’s failure to notify President Joe Biden of his hospitalization drew criticism from lawmakers, and the matter surprised the White House, as his hospitalization wasn’t revealed until 4 days later, and the Pentagon didn’t specify a reason for his hospitalization until January 9.
At the time, Biden acknowledged that his defense secretary had made a mistake by keeping him secretly hospitalized, but stressed that he would remain in office.
