Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a joint press conference with Israel’s defense minister in Tel Aviv on Dec. 18, 2023.
Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images
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Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a joint press conference with Israel’s defense minister in Tel Aviv on Dec. 18, 2023.
Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was treated for prostate cancer, which was identified last month, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center said in a statement, and complications from that procedure led to his hospitalization on New Year’s Day.
The statement — from Dr. John Maddox, trauma medical director, and Dr. Gregory Chesnut, center for prostate disease research of the Murtha Cancer Center Director, at Walter Reed — is the first indication of why Austin was hospitalized on New Year’s Day. It still does not answer questions, however, of why no one — not the president, nor Congress — or indeed Austin’s own deputy — was kept in the dark.
The White House is taking a hard look at rules for cabinet members after Austin’s hospitalization was kept quiet for days, according to a memo obtained by NPR.
President Biden’s chief of staff Jeff Zients on Tuesday told Cabinet secretaries in the memo that he was reviewing the rules for how Cabinet members delegate their authority when they are hospitalized, under anesthesia, traveling to places with limited access to communication, or are otherwise unable to be reached.
Zients ordered Cabinet members to submit their current protocols in writing for his review by Friday – and also emphasized that they need to keep the White House informed about potential cases where they need to delegate authority.
The Walter Reed statement provided a timeline of the events that led to Austin’s hospitalization.
“As part of Secretary Austin’s routinely recommended health screening, he has undergone regular prostate specific antigen (PSA) surveillance. Changes in his laboratory evaluation in early December 2023 identified prostate cancer which required treatment,” the statemet said. “On December 22, 2023, after consultation with his medical team, he was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure called a prostatectomy to treat and cure prostate cancer. He was under general anesthesia during this procedure. Secretary Austin recovered uneventfully from his surgery and returned home the next morning. His prostate cancer was detected early, and his prognosis is excellent.”
The statement said, Austin was admitted Jan. 1 to Walter Reed with complications from the Dec. 22 procedure, including nausea with severe abdominal, hip, and leg pain. Initial evaluation revealed a urinary tract infection, the statement added.
“On January 2, the decision was made to transfer him to the ICU for close monitoring and a higher level of care. Further evaluation revealed abdominal fluid collections impairing the function of his small intestines,” the statement said. “This resulted in the back up of his intestinal contents which was treated by placing a tube through his nose to drain his stomach. The abdominal fluid collections were drained by non-surgical drain placement. He has progressed steadily throughout his stay. His infection has cleared. He continues to make progress and we anticipate a full recovery although this can be a slow process. During this stay, Secretary Austin never lost consciousness and never underwent general anesthesia.”
Prostate cancer, the most common cause of cancer among American men, affects 1 in every 8 men – and 1 in every 6 Black men during their lifetime.
