The Pentagon announced Friday that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin would temporarily cede authority to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks while he undergoes a medical procedure.
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said in a statement that the non-surgical bladder procedure was “planned, elective and minimally invasive” and would be performed at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
He added that bladder problems are not related to a prostate cancer diagnosis or a “good” prognosis.
The Pentagon said it would provide an update on Austin’s condition after surgery on Friday.
The announcement is likely an attempt by the department to be more transparent about Austin’s health after he underwent two surgeries in December and January without informing President Biden, Hicks or the public.
The secretary was inundated with criticism after news broke in early January that Mr Austin had been hospitalised and placed in intensive care.
Austin said he was shocked by the news of his cancer diagnosis in late December and “wanted to keep it a secret at first,” after undergoing minimally invasive prostate removal surgery in late December, but by January 1, he was experiencing complications.
He was rushed to Walter Reed Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and admitted to the intensive care unit. The Secretary of Defense remained hospitalized for several days before the Pentagon released a statement.
After facing widespread outrage over his secrecy, Mr Austin issued a statement saying he could have done a better job to ensure everyone was informed but that it was up to him to make “disclosure decisions”. He insisted there were no “loopholes” or “risks” in police command and control.
Austin apologized on February 1 for not handling the situation properly.
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