WASHINGTON — The Pentagon released new details about Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin’s continued hospitalization, saying he had a medical procedure on December 22, 2023, went home a day later, and was admitted to intensive care on January 1, 2024, when he began experiencing severe pain.
According to ABC News, Austin is being treated for prostate cancer.
The latest information came as members of both parties in Congress expressed sharp concerns about the secrecy of Austin’s hospital stay and the fact that the president and other senior leaders were kept in the dark about it for days.
The statement, released by Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, did not provide any details about the medical procedure or what required Austin to be in intensive care at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Austin would later say, “I am very glad to be on the mend and look forward to returning to the Pentagon soon. I also understand the media concerns about transparency and I recognize I could have done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed. I commit to doing better. But this is important to say: this was my medical procedure, and I take full responsibility for my decisions about disclosure.”
Ryder said Austin was placed in the hospital’s intensive care unit “due to his medical needs but then remained in that location in part due to hospital space considerations and privacy.” He also confirmed that the National Security Council and Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks were not notified of the hospitalization until January 4- three days later.
Austin’s chief of staff, Kelly Magsamen, was reportedly ill and “unable to make notifications before then.” He said she informed Hicks and the national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, on January 4. Biden was told of Austin’s medical stay on Thursday as well by Sullivan, according to three sources with knowledge of the situation who requested anonymity.
Once notified, Hicks began preparing statements to send to Congress and made plans to return to Washington. Hicks was in Puerto Rico on leave but had communications equipment with her to remain in contact and had already been tasked with some secretary-level duties on Tuesday.
Austin, 70, resumed his duties as secretary on the evening of Jan. 5.
"He is no longer in the intensive care unit but is recovering in a more private area of the hospital," Ryder said. "He continues to experience discomfort, but his prognosis is good. I expect him to be in contact throughout the day today with senior leadership of the department and the White House even as he focuses on his own recovery," he said. "While we do not have a specific date for his release at this time, we'll continue to provide updates on the secretary's status as they become available."
Sen. Roger Wicker, the top-ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, demanded a “full accounting of the facts immediately" for lawmakers.
“I am glad to hear Secretary Austin is in improved condition, and I wish him a speedy recovery,” Wicker said in a statement. “However, the fact remains that the Department of Defense deliberately withheld the Secretary of Defense’s medical condition for days. That is unacceptable.”
On Sunday, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby announced that the Secretary needs "additional care" on CBS' "Face the Nation." Kirby said, "We'll see when he can get released, but obviously they still feel like he may need some additional care. I understand that part of that is just physical therapy."
Austin has still been "engaged" in his position remotely while in hospital.
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