US defense secretary Lloyd Austin kept his cancer diagnosis secret

• Austin, 70, was hospitalized on January 1 and later moved to intensive care.
• The Pentagon confirmed Austin’s continued hospitalization on Tuesday.
• Austin’s condition was identified in December 2023.

President Joe Biden learned only on Tuesday that US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin was undergoing treatment for cancer, according to the White House.

Mr. Austin, aged 70, had been hospitalized since January 1 and later moved to the intensive care unit due to complications following surgery in December. Criticism has been directed at him for not promptly informing senior officials about his health, leading to an apology for not ensuring appropriate public disclosure.

The delay in notifying the White House raised concerns about potential national security issues and transparency problems within the Biden administration. As a key figure in the president’s Cabinet, the defense secretary’s position just below the president in the chain of command for the US military adds significance to the matter. The Pentagon confirmed Mr. Austin’s continued hospitalization on Tuesday.

Not optimal:

During a press briefing on Tuesday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby revealed that President Biden learned about the diagnosis of prostate cancer only on that day.

“Nobody at the White House knew that Secretary Austin had prostate cancer until this morning,” he said.

While he emphasized the president’s initial reaction was concern for the secretary’s health, Mr Kirby acknowledged the communications were “not optimal.”

“This is not the way it is supposed to go,” Mr Kirby said.

Mr. Kirby stated on Tuesday that Mr. Biden and Sec Austin have not had any communication since their last interaction over the weekend. Despite being asked to assume some of Mr. Austin’s responsibilities, his deputy, Kathleen Hicks, was not informed of his hospital stay.

Doctors for Mr. Austin indicated that a checkup in December 2023 had identified prostate cancer requiring treatment. On December 22, Mr. Austin underwent a “minimally invasive surgical procedure” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the nation’s top military hospital, to remove the cancer. He was under general anesthesia for this procedure.

On January 1, 2024, Mr. Austin returned to the hospital after experiencing “complications.” An evaluation revealed a urinary tract infection, and he was transferred to the intensive care unit the next day for further treatment, including addressing “abdominal fluid collections impairing the function of his small intestines.” Doctors stated that Mr. Austin “never lost consciousness and never underwent general anesthesia” during this hospital stay. His infection has cleared, and doctors anticipate a full recovery, though it may be a slow process.

Doctors opinion:

Doctors emphasized that the cancer was caught early, and his “prognosis is excellent.” A spokesperson for Mr. Austin did not provide a discharge update but mentioned that “Secretary Austin continues to recover well and remains in good spirits.”

During a Tuesday briefing, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj Gen Pat Ryder did not explain why Mr. Austin did not disclose his condition sooner. “I don’t have that specifically,” he said, noting that a prostate cancer diagnosis is “deeply personal.” The Pentagon attributed this failure to a key staff member having the flu.

Mr. Ryder said notification procedures about the hospital stay were under review to “make sure we’re doing better next time”.

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