Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Hospitalized Again for Bladder Issue
The Pentagon revealed on Sunday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had been taken to the hospital due to symptoms indicating a serious problem with his bladder.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks has temporarily assumed Austin's responsibilities as he undergoes medical care. Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the White House, and Congress had been informed about the situation.
As of Sunday evening, Austin remained hospitalized.
This announcement comes just weeks after Austin's diagnosis of prostate cancer in early December, which led to hospitalization on December 22 for a related procedure. Following this, he handed over his duties to Hicks, although neither she nor President Biden were initially aware of Austin's hospitalization. He was readmitted on January 1 due to complications from the initial treatment, with Biden only learning of this on January 4.
Austin faced criticism from members of Congress for not disclosing his diagnosis and treatment to the president and lawmakers, leading him to publicly apologize earlier this month.
The Pentagon disclosed that Austin's security detail took him to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Sunday afternoon.
In a subsequent joint statement, Dr. John Maddox, trauma medical director, and Dr. Gregory Chesnut, director of the Center for Prostate Disease Research at the Murtha Cancer Center, confirmed that Austin had been admitted to the critical care unit. They stated that it was uncertain how long he would remain hospitalized, but emphasized that the current bladder issue was not expected to affect his overall recovery, which they maintained had a positive outlook.