Pentagon officials stunned by defense secretary keeping cancer diagnosis secret from POTUS: 'Reckless'

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Some Pentagon officials feel Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was "reckless" for keeping his hospitalization and cancer diagnosis secret from President Biden and his subordinates.

"He made a deliberate decision to not share something so important at minimum with the POTUS. It was reckless and irresponsible," one official, speaking anonymously, told Politico in a story published Tuesday. "I don’t want to take away the human element of his diagnosis. … However, his judgment should be questioned on this one."

The White House was "kept in the dark" about Austin's hospitalization, learning 48 hours after the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff first heard the news on Jan. 2. Austin, 70, was admitted to the intensive care unit at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Jan. 1 for severe pain for complications following a recent elective medical procedure," Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said last week.

MEDIA, DEMS, BIDEN OFFICIALS RIP DEFENSE DEPARTMENT FOR HIDING SEC. AUSTIN’S ICU STAY: 'HEADS HAVE TO ROLL'

It was later revealed that Austin had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent a prostatectomy late last month. He was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Dec. 22, 2023, and underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure called a prostatectomy to treat and cure prostate cancer.

Some Pentagon