Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is scheduled to undergo surgery on Friday, the Pentagon announced. statement.
The statement noted that the Deputy Secretary of Defense will serve as Acting Secretary of Defense during the process.
“The Secretary has determined that he is temporarily unable to perform his duties while the process is ongoing.”
“Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III is scheduled to undergo a scheduled elective, minimally invasive, follow-up non-surgical procedure related to a previously reported bladder issue at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center later this evening,” Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement.
“The Secretary of Defense has determined that he is temporarily unable to perform his duties during this process, and therefore Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks will assume the duties of Secretary of Defense and serve as Acting Secretary of Defense,” the statement said.
Austin underwent prostate removal surgery late last year.
This year he Hospitalized On January 1, he moved to Walter Reed, where he remained for a short time. release Later that month.
He was admitted back to Walter Reed Hospital the following month.
“Secretary Austin was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Feb. 11 due to discomfort and anxiety caused by bladder issues related to prostate cancer surgery he underwent in December 2023. His condition indicated he required close monitoring by an intensive care team and supportive care. His diagnostic evaluation determined the cause of his bladder issues, which were corrected with a non-surgical procedure on Feb. 12,” Dr. John Maddox and Dr. Gregory Chestnut said in a statement included in a Department of Defense press release on Feb. 13. “The bladder issues are unrelated to his cancer diagnosis and will not affect his excellent cancer prognosis.”
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