US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized on January 1 with a urinary tract infection following surgery in December to treat prostate cancer, the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where the head of the Pentagon is hospitalized, said on Tuesday, according to Reuters and News.ro. .

“His infection is gone. He continues to progress and we expect a full recovery, although it may be a slow process,” Walter Reed Hospital said in a Pentagon statement.

“During this hospitalization, Secretary Austin never lost consciousness or was subjected to general anesthesia,” the military hospital also said amid controversy surrounding the secrecy surrounding the Pentagon chief’s hospitalization and delegation of duties.

The revelation comes after nearly a week in which the Pentagon faced a public backlash over Lloyd Austin’s failure to notify even President Joe Biden or his deputy of his hospitalization for several days.

After the Pentagon said last Friday that Austin was in the hospital, it declined to say why he was hospitalized or provide details of his medical prognosis.

Lloyd Austin, 70, is Biden’s second-in-command in the U.S. military, and his duties require him to be ready at any time to respond to any national security crisis. This means that he must always be prepared to have secure communication with other officials in the event of a nuclear attack, which would be difficult from an intensive care bed.

“He continues to focus on his recovery and, above all, on fulfilling his duties as Secretary of Defense.”

Walter Reed Hospital said on Dec. 22 that Austin suffered complications from prostate cancer treatment, including nausea with severe pain in his abdomen, hips and legs. After being diagnosed with a urinary tract infection, Austin was transferred to the intensive care unit on January 2nd.

“Further examination revealed the accumulation of abdominal fluid, which affected the function of the small intestine. This resulted in reflux of his intestinal contents, which was treated by placing a tube through his nose to drain his stomach,” the hospital said.

The release was signed by Dr. John Maddox, medical director of the Division of Trauma, and Dr. Gregory Chesnut, director of the Prostate Research Center at Walter Reed Murtha Cancer Center.

The Biden administration has been trying to calm the political furore that erupted after the revelation that even the president, who is running for re-election, did not know about the hospitalization of the defense secretary between January 1 and 4.

The Pentagon said the White House was also unaware of Austin’s initial treatment in December for what was initially said to be a routine medical procedure. It is unclear how prostate cancer treatment can be considered elective.

Some prominent Republicans, including Donald Trump, have called for Austin’s release. But the Pentagon said the retired four-star general had no plans to resign, and the White House said Biden had no plans to fire him.

Lloyd Austin remains at Walter Reed Hospital. “The secretary remains focused on recovery, but most importantly on fulfilling his duties as secretary of defense and protecting the nation,” Air Force Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said at a press conference.

Read on this topic:

• The head of the Pentagon was admitted to the hospital after a “medical procedure”
• Lack of communication between the Pentagon and the White House. Biden did not know the other day that the US Secretary of Defense was in the hospital
• The White House is denying rumors that the Pentagon chief was fired after last week’s scandal