Tessa Quinn
Lloyd Austin, the first African American US Secretary of Defense, was hospitalized on January 1, 2024, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center due to complications from a surgical procedure for prostate cancer. He was admitted to the intensive care unit, and his staff did not inform President Biden, senior White House officials, or the public about his condition for several days, leading to criticism and questions about the lack of disclosure. Austin addressed his hospitalization in a press conference, stating that he never instructed his staff to keep it a secret. He acknowledged a breakdown in notifications and took full responsibility for mishandling communication about his treatment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for hospitalization | Complications from prostate cancer surgery |
| Date of hospitalization | January 1, 2024 |
| Hospital | Walter Reed National Military Medical Center |
| Department | Intensive Care Unit |
| Length of stay | Two weeks |
| Age | 70 |
| Diagnosis | Prostate cancer |
| Treatment | Prostatectomy |
| Complications | Urinary tract infection, bladder issue |
| Disclosure | No advance disclosure to President Biden, Cabinet members, or the public |
| Impact | Cancelled trip to Europe |
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What You'll Learn
Lloyd Austin's prostate cancer surgery
Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, underwent elective surgery to treat prostate cancer on December 22, 2023. The 70-year-old's cancer was detected during routine medical screenings and blood tests to monitor levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The procedure, known as a prostatectomy, involved the partial or complete removal of the prostate and nearby lymph nodes.
Austin was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he recovered uneventfully from his surgery and was discharged. However, he soon began experiencing complications, including nausea and severe abdominal, hip, and leg pain. On January 1, 2024, he was taken back to the hospital by ambulance and admitted to the intensive care unit. An evaluation revealed that he had a urinary tract infection (UTI).
During his second hospital stay, Austin faced criticism for failing to disclose his condition and absence to the White House and the public. He remained hospitalized for two weeks in January and returned to the Pentagon on January 29. Despite the setback, doctors expected a full recovery, although they cautioned that it could be a slow process.
On February 11, 2024, Austin was hospitalized again due to symptoms related to a bladder issue. He underwent nonsurgical procedures under general anesthesia to address the problem, and his doctors anticipated a swift return to his normal duties.
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Complications from the surgery
Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, underwent elective surgery on December 22, 2023, at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The procedure was a prostatectomy to treat prostate cancer, which was detected during routine blood tests.
Following the surgery, Austin experienced complications that required him to be hospitalized again. He was admitted to the intensive care unit at Walter Reed on January 1, 2024, and remained there for several days. During this time, he faced criticism for not disclosing his condition and absence to the White House and the public.
The complications from the surgery included severe abdominal, hip, and leg pain, as well as nausea. An initial evaluation revealed that Austin was also suffering from a urinary tract infection (UTI). According to medical experts, UTIs can be serious if they spread to the kidneys, and they can cause confusion and reduced awareness in elderly patients.
Austin's infection cleared, and he was eventually discharged from the hospital. Doctors anticipated a full recovery but cautioned that it could be a slow process. Austin's mobility has been affected, and he sometimes uses a cane or motorized cart to get around.
In February 2024, Austin was hospitalized again due to symptoms suggesting an emergent bladder issue. This hospitalization was related to scar tissue from his previous surgery, which may have narrowed the pathway for urine to pass through his bladder.
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Lack of disclosure about his health
Lloyd Austin, the US Secretary of Defense, underwent surgery to treat prostate cancer in December 2023. He was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on December 22, 2023, and underwent a prostatectomy, which involved the partial or complete removal of his prostate and nearby lymph nodes.
However, complications arose, and he was hospitalized again on January 1, 2024. This time, he was taken by ambulance to the intensive care unit at Walter Reed, experiencing severe abdominal, hip, and leg pain, as well as nausea. Despite this, no one in his staff, the White House, or the public was informed of his hospitalization until several days later. This lack of disclosure about his health raised concerns and criticism from various quarters.
Austin faced bipartisan criticism for not disclosing his illness and absence to the White House and the public promptly. This breach of protocol baffled officials across the government, including those at the Pentagon. Questions were raised about who in the Biden administration knew about the absence of the country's top defense official, especially given the sensitive nature of his role.
Austin eventually addressed the situation, stating that he never instructed his staff to keep his hospitalization a secret. He acknowledged a "breakdown in notifications" about his health issues and apologized for failing to inform the public, taking full responsibility for his decisions regarding disclosure. He also emphasized that he did not want to burden President Biden with his personal issues but conceded that he should have discussed it with him.
A Pentagon report cleared Austin of any wrongdoing and found no ill intent or attempt to obfuscate by him or his staff. Still, the incident prompted a review of the chain of command process, and steps were taken to improve the system to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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His bladder issue
Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, underwent elective surgery to treat prostate cancer in December 2023. He was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on December 22, 2023, where he underwent a prostatectomy, which involved the partial or complete removal of his prostate and nearby lymph nodes.
However, on January 1, 2024, Austin returned to the hospital due to complications from the procedure, including nausea and severe abdominal, hip, and leg pain. During this hospital stay, doctors discovered that he had a urinary tract infection (UTI). UTIs can affect any part of the urinary system, including the bladder, and can cause serious health problems if they spread to the kidneys.
Austin's bladder issue was likely related to the complications from his prostate cancer surgery. Scar tissue from the surgery may have narrowed the pathway for urine to pass through his bladder, requiring nonsurgical procedures under general anesthesia to address the problem. This issue is not uncommon in patients who have undergone prostatectomies, and a typical remedy is to stretch or dilate the urethra, sometimes with the use of a catheter to drain urine.
Austin's hospitalization raised concerns about the lack of disclosure to the White House and the public. He faced criticism for failing to immediately disclose his illness and absence, which was considered a breach of protocol. However, Austin emphasized that he took full responsibility for his decisions regarding disclosure and acknowledged a breakdown in notifications about his health problems.
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His transfer of authority
On January 1, 2024, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for complications arising from a December 22 elective procedure to treat prostate cancer. He underwent a prostatectomy, which involved the complete or partial removal of his prostate and nearby lymph nodes.
On January 2, one day after his admission and as he was being moved to critical care, Austin began a "transfer of authority" to his deputy, Kathleen Hicks, who was on vacation in Puerto Rico. Hicks was prepared to exercise the secretary's powers "if required". However, it was not until January 4 that the White House and Hicks were informed of Austin's hospitalization.
During his stay in the intensive care unit, Austin transferred "certain operational responsibilities that require constant secure communications capabilities" to Hicks. These included the authority to approve strikes, as evidenced by the US strike against a militia target in Baghdad on January 4, which was pre-approved by Austin before his hospitalization.
Austin's hospitalization and the delay in informing key stakeholders, including the White House, the president, and Congress, sparked criticism and raised questions about the chain of command and disclosure protocols. Austin acknowledged a "breakdown in notifications" about his health issues and took responsibility for his decisions regarding disclosure. He emphasized that he did not instruct his staff to keep his hospitalization a secret and committed to improving communication in the future.
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Frequently asked questions
Lloyd Austin underwent surgery to treat prostate cancer in December 2023 but then developed complications that brought him back to the hospital in January 2024.
Lloyd Austin's complications included nausea with severe abdominal, hip and leg pain. He was also diagnosed with a urinary tract infection.
Lloyd Austin was taken by ambulance to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on January 1, 2024, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit. He remained hospitalized for two weeks and returned to the Pentagon on January 29.
Lloyd Austin addressed this question in a press conference, stating that he never instructed his staff to keep his hospitalization a secret. He acknowledged a "breakdown in notifications" and apologized for failing to inform the public and the White House.
