Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin treated for prostate cancer

Washington CNN —

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is being treated for prostate cancerand suffered complications that led to him being taken to hospital on New Year’s Day where he is still being treated,according to a statement Tuesday from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

The statement revealed that the cancer was discovered in early December. He underwent a “minimally invasive surgical procedure” on December 22 called a prostatectomy to treat the cancer.

“He was under general anesthesia during this procedure. Secretary Austin recovered uneventfully from his surgery and returned home the next morning. His prostate cancer was detected early, and his prognosis is excellent,” the statement read.

On January 1, Austin was readmitted to the hospital due to complications “including nausea with severe abdominal, hip and leg pain.” He was found to have a urinary tract infection, the statement said.

The Pentagon had been facing intense questions after it was revealed on Friday that he had been admitted to Walter Reed on January 1 and had been hospitalized for days without notifying the public. It was subsequently reported that President Joe Biden, senior national security officials and even Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks – who had assumed Austin’s duties – were not aware of the defense secretary’s hospitalization until three days after he was admitted.

But on Tuesday, the Pentagon revealed that Austin had kept the reason for his hospitalization – the cancer diagnosis and the complications arising from his treatment – secret, not just from senior figures at the Pentagon, but Biden himself, raising huge questions about transparency and communications within the administration.

National Security