Austin drew widespread criticism for not informing Joe Biden of his cancer diagnosis in a timely manner.
Washington:
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday after being treated under general anesthesia for bladder problems while battling prostate cancer, the Pentagon said.
“He is recovering well and returned to full functions and duties at 5:00 pm (2200 GMT) today…Secretary Austin will recuperate and perform his duties remotely at home for a period of time before returning to the Pentagon later this week job,” his office said in a statement.
Austin’s latest health scare comes just weeks after news emerged that the 70-year-old had kept a recent hospitalization under wraps and failed to inform President Joe Biden of his cancer diagnosis in a timely manner, sparking widespread criticism.
The Pentagon said the White House and Congress had been notified of his return to work.
The statement quoted doctors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center outside Washington as saying Austin was admitted to the hospital on Sunday “feeling discomfort and concern related to bladder issues arising from prostate cancer surgery in December 2023.”
They said: “His condition indicated the need for close monitoring and supportive care from the critical care team. His diagnostic assessment identified the cause of his bladder problems, which were corrected through a non-surgical procedure on February 12.”
“He has remained well throughout and no longer requires intensive care (Tuesday morning)… He is progressing well and was discharged home today.”
The statement echoes previous Pentagon explanations that bladder problems are not related to the cancer itself but to its treatment.
Austin is a key figure in U.S. efforts to shore up Western support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression as leading Republican lawmakers in Washington reject new military aid for Kyiv.
He was scheduled to attend a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels to coordinate military assistance, but the Pentagon canceled those plans and announced the meeting would be held virtually.
Defense officials said Austin still plans to deliver opening remarks at the virtual meeting.
Austin’s health problems come as the United States faces an escalating crisis in the Middle East triggered by the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants.
He disappeared from public view in December while undergoing cancer treatment and disappeared again in January after complications.
Austin is known as an apolitical official who shuns the spotlight, which he said was one of the reasons he decided to keep his cancer diagnosis private.
He publicly apologized for not disclosing his hospitalization, and the government has launched an investigation into how the chain of command operated when senior officials were incapacitated.
“Frankly, my first reaction was to keep it a secret. I didn’t think it was news – I’m a very private person – and I never like to burden others with my problems,” he said.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, asked by reporters on Monday if Biden had any concerns about Austin’s ability to remain in office, responded: “Not at all.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
