Austin’s undisclosed surgery was for prostate cancer, Pentagon says

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin underwent surgery to combat prostate cancer, in an initial Dec. 22 hospital visit he kept secret from the White House, the Pentagon revealed Tuesday.

The cancer was detected during a routinely recommended health screening Austin had in early December, according to a statement from doctors John Maddox and Gregory Chesnut at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Austin was admitted to the medical center and “underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure called a prostatectomy to treat and cure prostate cancer,” during which he was under general anesthesia.

The doctors said he recovered uneventfully from his surgery and returned home the next morning, with his prognosis excellent as the cancer was detected early.

But Austin was again admitted to Walter Reed on Jan. 1 — a visit he also kept secret for days — due to complications from the earlier procedure, “including nausea with severe abdominal, hip, and leg pain,” which doctors found was caused by a urinary tract infection.

President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stand during an Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in honor of Milley at Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, in Fort Meyer, Va. Also held was an Armed Forces Hail in honor of Brown. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

On Jan. 2 he was transferred to the hospital’s intensive care unit where further evaluation revealed abdominal fluid collecting and impairing the function of his small intestines.

Doctors decided to place a tube through Austin’s nose to drain his stomach, eventually clearing the infection.

“He continues to make progress and we anticipate a full recovery although this can be a slow process,” the doctors noted.

The statement stresses that Austin “never lost consciousness and never underwent general anesthesia” during the eight days he has been hospitalized.

The Pentagon and Biden administration has faced intense questions and blowback after it was revealed Friday that Austin had been at Walter Reed for four days, unbeknownst to the public.

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It was later revealed that President Biden and top defense officials, including Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks — who was herself on vacation but had assumed some of Austin’s duties — were not aware Austin had been hospitalized until the afternoon of Jan. 4, three days after he was admitted.

Causing further concerns, Austin did not alert Biden of his prostate cancer for weeks after he was diagnosed in early December. The commander-in-chief only learned about Austin’s status on Tuesday morning, national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

The Pentagon, meanwhile, on Tuesday dodged questions about whether Austin ever intended to notify Biden of his diagnosis, considering the two had spoken over several phone calls between when Austin received the cancer diagnosis up until now. 

Press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder only offered an update on the Pentagon chief’s health and again acknowledged the lack of transparency.

Austin continues to recover and “remains in good spirits,” Ryder told reporters at the Pentagon. “He’s in contact with his senior staff and has full access to required secure communications capabilities and continues to monitor DOD’s day-to-day operations worldwide.”

DOD “recognizes the understandable concerns expressed by the public, Congress and the news media in terms of notification timelines and DOD transparency. And I want to underscore, again, that Secretary Austin has taking responsibility for the issues with transparency and the department is taking immediate steps to improve our notification procedures,” Ryder added.

The White House has since launched a review of protocols for how Cabinet secretaries delegate authority when traveling to areas with limited communication, during a hospitalization, or when undergoing a medical procedure requiring anesthesia, as in Austin’s case.

Separately, the Pentagon on Monday ordered a review to determine the circumstances surrounding Austin’s hospitalization and the transfer of authority to Hicks.

Prostate cancer is the most common cause of cancer among American men, impacting 1 in every 8 – and 1 in every 6 African American men – during their lifetime, according to the Pentagon statement.

Updated: 4:22 p.m.

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