The Pentagon acknowledged on Saturday: Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Approximately two weeks after being admitted to the hospital, he is still hospitalized due to complications from surgery for prostate cancer.
Defense Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided an update on the health status of Austin, who has been hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center since January 1, saying the secretary of defense is in “good” condition and is safe. said it is still unclear. he will be released.
“He remains in contact with senior staff, has full access to the necessary secure communications capabilities, and continues to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Department of Defense around the world,” Ryder said of Austin. “At this time, there is no specific date for Secretary Austin's discharge from hospital, but he will continue to provide daily updates until then.”
The Department of Defense announced this on January 5th. Austin was there He has been hospitalized since January 1 due to complications from elective surgery.
Lloyd Austin hospitalized: House Republicans demand more details as pressure mounts on Pentagon
A Pentagon official confirmed that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin remains hospitalized, nearly two weeks after he was admitted due to complications from prostate cancer surgery. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
However, it was later revealed that not only was the media kept in the dark, but that the highest levels of the White House and the Pentagon did not know until January 4, when Austin was hospitalized.
The nondisclosure raised bipartisan concerns, with top Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees calling for more transparency.
In a recent statement to Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy, he said: White House He acknowledged that President Biden continues to have “full trust and confidence” in Pentagon leadership.
Biden says Austin made poor judgment in hospitalization scandal, says he still trusts Austin
“The president has full confidence in Secretary Austin and looks forward to returning to the Pentagon,” the official said.
The Pentagon echoed. In a statement to Fox News Digital earlier this week, Austin outlined the White House's position and said he also has no intention of resigning.
“Secretary Austin has no plans to resign,” Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement. “He remains focused on fulfilling his duties as Secretary of Defense.”
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said earlier this week that Austin had no plans to resign while he was hospitalized. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Details emerged Wednesday that Austin's chief of staff, Kelly Magsamen, knew that her boss was hospitalized on January 2, but that some of the defense secretary's duties during his initial hospitalization were Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, who took over the position, was not informed.
Ryder told reporters that the delay was partly due to Magsamen contracting the flu.
A senior U.S. defense official told Fox News on Wednesday that a military aide in Mr. Austin's office notified officials in Mr. Hicks' office of the transfer on January 2.
And on January 4, it was Magsamen who notified Hicks' chief of staff that: Austin was in the hospital. On January 1st, we were told that his condition was improving.
Asked by Fox News whether Lt. Gen. Ron Clark, a senior military aide, spoke to military aides in Hicks' office on Tuesday, a senior defense official declined to say, saying a 30-day review would cover exactly what happened. Stated. Who was the military aide?
Pentagon criticized for calling Lloyd Austin's cancer removal surgery “elective'': “insisting on semantics''
When visiting small and medium-sized enterprises Suburbs of Allentown, PennsylvaniaAsked by reporters whether Austin made a mistake in not telling him about his condition, Biden said, “Yes.”
When a reporter asked if he still had confidence in Austin's leadership following the hospitalization fiasco, Biden said, “I have confidence.”
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center said Tuesday that Austin diagnosed with prostate cancer He was hospitalized in early December and underwent prostatectomy on December 22nd.
The hospital added that the 70-year-old man recovered well from the surgery and was discharged the next morning. According to the hospital, the prostate cancer was detected early and the prognosis was “good.”
Asked by reporters during a visit to a small business outside Allentown, Pennsylvania, whether Austin made a mistake in not telling him about his condition, Biden said, “Yes.” (Bloomberg via Getty Images/AP Photo)
Several House Republicans are reportedly going directly to Austin to seek more information about decisions that have remained silent for days regarding recent hospitalizations of senior White House and Pentagon officials. .
Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., led a group of 20 Republican senators in writing a letter to Austin asking who was involved in the decision to postpone the release and asking, “If one combatant commander is unable to act, “How would Austin react?” he asked. “He had to take off from official duties for three or four days, and you were never informed about who knew about his situation and other details from the beginning.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
In a post to X on Saturday, the New York Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik wrote:“Secretary Austin and those who lied on his behalf will be held accountable.”
Anders Hagstrom, Greg Norman and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten of The Associated Press and Fox News contributed to this report.
