Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was admitted to a Washington, D.C., hospital on Monday, recovering from complications following elective surgery, the Pentagon said.
“On the evening of January 1st, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center due to complications following a recent elective medical procedure,” Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement. I was hospitalized,” he said.
“He is recovering well and is scheduled to resume full duty today,” Ryder added.
Ryder said Austin was hospitalized after the surgery, but not immediately after.
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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (AP Photo/Danial Hakim/File)
News about Austin, who has been hospitalized since Monday, was relayed to the media on Friday.
Ryder said the hospitalization was not disclosed to the press, citing “medical and personal privacy concerns.”
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“This is an evolving situation and we [have] Ryder told Fox News: “Many factors had to be considered, including medical and personal privacy issues. We are now in a position to provide an update.”
It was not immediately clear what the elective medical procedure was or the date of the surgery.
Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. (Alex Wong/Getty Images/File)
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks is filling in for her duties during a pre-scheduled leave of absence.
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“The Deputy Secretary of Defense was always ready to act on behalf of and exercise the authority of the Secretary as necessary,” Rider said.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
