United States: Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin hospitalized “in intensive care”
US Secretary of State for Defense Lloyd Austin was admitted to an “
intensive care
” unit after another hospitalization for a bladder problem. This is what the Pentagon announced on the evening of Sunday February 11.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon, Thursday, February 1, 2024. AP - Kevin Wolf
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Lloyd Austin
, whose several secret hospitalizations for prostate cancer have sparked controversy, had been admitted to hospital earlier in the day for "an urgent bladder problem", before delegating his duties to his deputy .
“
This evening, after a series of tests and evaluations, the Secretary was admitted to the intensive care unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for supportive care and close monitoring
,” the Pentagon said in a statement. communicated. “
At this time, it is not clear how long Minister Austin will remain hospitalized
,” said the press release from Dr. John Maddox and Gregory Chesnut.
“
The current bladder problem should not affect his expected full recovery. His prognosis for cancer remains excellent
,” add the doctors. Since Sunday 5 p.m. (10 p.m. UT), Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks has assumed the role of head of the Pentagon. A few hours earlier, the Pentagon had indicated that Lloyd Austin had “
gone to the hospital with the classified and unclassified communications systems necessary
” to carry out his duties.
Secret kept about his prostate cancer
The White House and Congress have been informed, assured the Pentagon. During a press conference on February 1, the Secretary of Defense, 70, apologized for having kept his prostate cancer a secret, a case which caused an uproar in the country. Because in the middle of an election year and while the United States, the world's leading military power, is closely following two major conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, the septuagenarian was operated on and hospitalized twice in December and January without the President Joe Biden knows nothing about it.
“
It was a mistake
,” the minister admitted during this press briefing to which he presented himself with a still stiff approach. “
I should have informed the president of my cancer diagnosis. I should have told my team and the American people as well and I take full responsibility for that. I apologize to my colleagues and to the American people
,” he added.
The minister, however, wanted to say “
very clearly that there was no vacancy of power and (that there was) no risk for the command and control of the ministry
”. He indicated that he had “
directly
” apologized to Mr. Biden and that the latter had reacted “with grace”.
The affair had caused astonishment even in the Democratic camp and sparked calls from Republicans for the resignation of Lloyd Austin. This time, his ministry promptly communicated about his new hospitalization: the media were informed about two hours after his departure for the hospital.
(
With
AFP)
Read alsoHospitalized in secrecy, the American Minister of Defense under fire from criticism
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