Pentagon chief Austin in critical care for bladder issue
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized on Sunday after suffering an “emergent bladder issue,” the Pentagon said, less than a month after he spent nearly two weeks in intensive care with complications after surgery to treat prostate cancer.
Austin’s doctors, John Maddox and Gregory Chestnut, said in a statement that Austin was admitted to the critical care unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for “supportive care and close monitoring” after his security team transported him earlier in the day with symptoms “suggesting an emergent bladder issue.” It is not clear how long he could remain hospitalized, they said, but he is expected to make a full recovery from prostate cancer.
“His cancer prognosis remains excellent,” the doctors said in a statement released near midnight. “Updates on the Secretary’s condition will be provided as soon as possible.”
On Monday, a defense official said Austin would not travel as planned to NATO headquarters in Brussels this week. He had been expected to attend a gathering of NATO defense ministers and another meeting for officials whose countries are involved with the effort to support Ukraine in its war against Russia.
A Pentagon spokesman, Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder, said in a statement Sunday night that Austin had transferred his duties and functions to Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks about 4:55 p.m. The White House, Congress and the Pentagon’s top military officer, Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., all were notified, Ryder said.
Austin had not resumed his duties as of Monday afternoon, the defense official said. This person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the secretary’s hospitalization.
The situation marks the latest health setback for the Pentagon chief, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December and underwent surgery to treat it Dec. 22. He was taken back to Walter Reed by ambulance from his home in Northern Virginia on Jan. 1 and placed in intensive care for days with side effects that included intense pain and infections of the urinary tract and bladder.
The secretive initial handling of Austin’s health crisis became a political problem for the
Pentagon, especially after it was revealed that President Joe Biden did not know about Austin’s cancer diagnosis, his surgery or his second hospitalization until Jan. 4. The Pentagon first disclosed Austin’s hospitalization to Congress and the public on Jan. 5.
Austin later expressed regret for his handling of the situation, describing his diagnosis as a “gut punch” during a Feb. 1 briefing with reporters.
“I want to be crystal clear: We did not handle this right. I did not handle this right,” Austin said. “I should have told the president about my cancer diagnosis. I should have also told my team and the American public, and I take full responsibility. I apologize to my teammates and the American people.”
Austin is to testify about the situation before the House Armed Services Committee on Feb. 29. On Thursday, he received the results of a 30-day review conducted by his team about his hospitalization.
Austin worked remotely most of January and was in physical therapy to deal with lingering leg pain, he told reporters on Feb. 1. On Feb. 2, he walked with a cane while attending a “dignified transfer” ceremony at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware with Biden and other senior U.S. officials as the remains of three U.S. soldiers who were killed in Jordan were returned to the United States.