U.S. President Joe Biden didn’t know his Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had prostate cancer until Tuesday, the White House said, minutes after the Pentagon chief’s illness and the infection he contracted became public. and which was also hushed up, writes Reuters.

Lloyd Austin, 70, had been hospitalized since Jan. 1 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, a fact the Pentagon withheld from the public, the White House and Congress for days last week, sparking a major political backlash.

“No one in the White House knew”

Nor would Kathleen Hicks, Austin’s deputy, know, even after she was told on vacation in Puerto Rico on Jan. 2 to take over some of the Pentagon chief’s duties.

“He (President Biden – no) was not informed until last Thursday (January 4) that Secretary Austin was in the hospital. He was not told this morning (Tuesday) that the main reason for his hospitalization was prostate cancer. “No one in the White House knew until this morning that Secretary Austin had prostate cancer, and the President was informed shortly thereafter,” White House Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.

Austin and Biden spoke Saturday, and it’s unclear why Biden didn’t learn about Austin’s prostate cancer until Tuesday.

An official investigation has been launched in Congress

Republicans see the incident as evidence of dereliction of duty by Austin, a retired four-star general who led US forces in Iraq and is America’s first black defense secretary.

The Republican who chairs the House Armed Services Committee has launched a formal investigation.

“In light of the wars in Ukraine and Israel, the idea that the White House and even your own deputy have failed to understand the nature of your condition is clearly unacceptable,” Congressman Mike Rogers wrote in a letter to Austin on Tuesday.

The head of the Pentagon is saved

On Jan. 1, Lloyd Austin was taken by ambulance to Walter Reed Hospital after complications from prostate cancer treatment he underwent on Dec. 22, complaining of nausea and 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 an accumulation of abdominal fluid that was affecting the function of his small intestine. This led to reflux of intestinal contents, which was treated by inserting a tube through the nose to drain the stomach,” the military hospital said.

Austin’s prostate cancer treatment on Dec. 22 required him to be put under general anesthesia, but he remained conscious during his last hospitalization, according to a statement from Walter Reed.

The cancer was discovered in early December, and on December 22 the head of the Pentagon underwent a “minimally invasive surgical procedure” called a prostatectomy to treat the cancer.

“During this procedure, he was under general anesthesia. Minister Austin made a smooth recovery from surgery and returned home the next morning. His prostate cancer was caught early and his prognosis is excellent,” the hospital said in a statement.

Walter Reed expressed an upbeat outlook for Austin, but warned that his recovery could take some time. “The infection is gone. He continues to progress and we expect a full recovery, although it may be a slow process,” the hospital said in a statement released by the Pentagon.

Walter Reed’s statement 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 Murtoch Cancer Center.

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.

Austin, 70, is second only to Biden in the US military, and his duties require him to be available at all times to respond to any national security crisis. This means he must always be ready to communicate securely with other officials in the event of a nuclear attack, which would be difficult from an intensive care bed.

The Biden administration is in trouble

The Biden administration has sought to quell political anger over the revelation that the president, who is running for re-election, was unaware of the hospitalization of the defense secretary between January 1 and 4.

The Pentagon initially said Austin’s December treatment was a routine medical procedure. It is not clear how surgery for prostate cancer can be considered elective, Reuters notes.

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 intention of firing him.

The Defense Department’s handling of Austin’s hospitalization contrasts with the State Department’s handling of Colin Powell’s December 15, 2003 prostate surgery by then-Secretary of State.

A State Department spokesman at the time issued a statement earlier this morning announcing that Powell, a retired four-star general and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was on surgery at Walter Reed and would remain there for several days. It was also revealed that Powell will work on a reduced schedule while he recovers from surgery. Then-department spokesman Richard Boucher later provided details of Operation Powell at his daily press briefing.

Patrick Ryder promised that the Pentagon would communicate better, and the White House acknowledged the damage to trust.

“I think the Pentagon has been very, very honest with itself about the challenge of trust because of what happened here and how difficult it was to be completely transparent with the American people,” Kirby said. (Source: News.ro)