President Biden first learned about Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's prostate cancer on Tuesday. It was the same day as the public release and a month after his diagnosis.
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center revealed Tuesday that Austin was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in early December and underwent a prostatectomy on Dec. 22.
The 70-year-old recovered well from the surgery and was back the next morning, Walter Reed said. His prostate cancer was detected early and his prognosis is “good,” the hospital said.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images/File)
While hospitalized, Austin transferred authority to Deputy Secretary of State Kathleen Hicks and did not inform the White House. The Pentagon has maintained in recent days that Austin originally came to Walter Reed for an “elective medical procedure,” not prostate surgery.
White House National Security Council Press Secretary John Kirby said late Tuesday that Biden was not informed of Austin's hospitalization until last Thursday and only learned of the cancer diagnosis on Tuesday.
Asked if President Biden thought time-lapse photography was acceptable, Kirby acknowledged that it was “not optimal.”
White House begins review of Cabinet protocols following secret hospitalization of Defense Secretary: Memo
“It's inconceivable that a situation like this could go on for so long without the knowledge of the commander in chief, the national security adviser, or other leaders of the Pentagon.” It was supposed to happen. . The president understands that, too,” Kirby said.
White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients released a memo to the president's Cabinet earlier Tuesday regarding the process for transferring power. The report calls for all Cabinet agencies to submit their current protocols for delegation of authority in writing to the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs and the Chief of Staff for review by Friday.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke at a conference at the Pentagon in October. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images/File)
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Zients' memo also dictates the steps Cabinet agencies must take when transferring authority. The Department of Defense has also launched its own review.
“We all recognize that this was not the way it should have unfolded. We all recognize that on so many levels, not just the notification process up the chain of command, but also the transparency issues. I recognize that. And I think we're all hoping for the next thing. We'll certainly learn from that,” Kirby said.
It was not yet clear Tuesday how this would affect Austin's future work, travel and other official duties.
The Pentagon on Monday released a memo regarding its own internal review and in the future “expanded the circle of leaders who will be informed of delegations of authority by the Secretary of Defense to ensure appropriate and timely notification to the President.” and the White House, and if necessary, the U.S. Congress and the American people. ”
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In each subsequent transfer of authority, the senior staff of the General Counsel of the Department of Defense, the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, combatant commanders, service chiefs, service chiefs, White House Situation Office, and the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
