Enlarge image
Lloyd Austin at the US Department of Defense: “Let it be clear that we didn’t handle this correctly.”
Photo: Kevin Wolf / AP
After heavy criticism of his information policy, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has apologized for the lack of communication about his health. Shortly after returning to the Pentagon on Thursday, Austin gave a rare news conference and said: "I should have informed the president of my cancer diagnosis. I should have told my team and the American public and take full responsibility. I apologize to my team and the American people.”
Prostate cancer was discovered in December in 70-year-old Austin. After a minor operation on December 22nd, he initially returned home. He was admitted to Walter Reed Military Hospital on January 1 due to complications. However, the White House was not informed of this until January 4th and Congress a day later. US President Joe Biden only found out about the cancer diagnosis on January 9th. The White House and the Pentagon launched internal investigations into the case.
"I should have told the president about my cancer diagnosis," Austin admitted on Thursday. He apologized “directly” to Biden. “I want to say very clearly that we didn't handle this properly,” Austin continued.
After a follow-up examination, two doctors said, according to the Pentagon, that the cancer had been "treated early and effectively." Austin's prognosis is "excellent." The minister stated that he was still only able to use one of his legs to a limited extent. He currently uses a golf cart to get around the Pentagon building.
Austin explained by saying he didn't want to burden Biden with his personal problems. »Honestly, my first instinct was to keep it private. I think it's nothing new that I'm a pretty private guy." But he wants to learn from the experience. If you take a job like this, you lose the privacy that most people would expect. “The American people have a right to know whether their policymakers are experiencing health problems that could, even temporarily, affect their ability to perform their duties.”
In the United States, it is common practice for the public to be very closely informed about the health status of their top politicians. The question also arose as to who actually has the authority in the Pentagon in the midst of international crises such as the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and the tense situation in the Middle East if the defense minister is absent. Austin assured on Thursday that he had had this sufficiently clarified. He also personally apologized to Biden. The president responded warmly, and Austin was grateful that he continued to have confidence in him. He is not considering resigning.
Republican lawmakers have called for the Pentagon chief to be fired. The Democrat Biden criticized a lack of communication, but said he continued to have confidence in his defense secretary.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men in the United States after nonmelanoma skin cancer. In the early stages, the chances of recovery are generally good. The prostate (prostate gland) is an organ the size of a walnut that surrounds the base of the urethra in men.
lpz/AFP/dpa