Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin officially transfered his duties to his deputy, following a hospital stay treating symptoms “suggesting an emergent bladder issue.”
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks assumed full duty after Austin was admitted to the critical care unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. According to a statement released on Feb. 8 from Pentagon press secretary, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, it is “not clear how long Secretary Austin will remain hospitalized.”
“At approximately 4:55 pm today, Secretary Austin transferred the functions and duties of the office of the Secretary of Defense to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks,” Ryder wrote. “The Deputy Secretary of Defense has assumed the functions and duties. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the White House, and Congress have been notified.”
orwp-incontent-custom-banner ampforwp-incontent-ad1">Following Austin’s hospitalization, questions arose regarding whether he would be in healthy condition to attend planned travel. However, the U.S. defense official said, “The secretary will no longer travel to Brussels, and Wednesday’s Ukraine Defense Contact Group will now be held virtually.”
The first Black defense secretary was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December 2023. Shortly after his diagnosis, Austin underwent a treatment procedure that required general anesthesia and an overnight stay at Walter Reed. On New Year’s Day, he was admitted again due to complications from the primary procedure, however, Austin failed to make any announcement to the media or other senior administration including President Joe Biden.
Without giving proper notification, many started to question the trust and transparency of the Biden administration. Republican lawmakers pushed criticism of the Pentagon’s handling of Austin’s illness. Austin initiated a press conference on Feb. 1, the first since his hospitalization, addressing the handling of his health issues as a “mistake.”
“We did not handle this right, and I did not handle this right. I should have told the president about my cancer diagnosis,” he said. “I should have also told my team and the American public. And I take full responsibility. I apologize to my teammates and to the American people.”
This latest hospital admission comes as
Austin is scheduled to testify to the House Armed Services Committee at the end of this month regarding his failure to notify government leaders. Facing calls of resignation, Committee Chair Mike Rogers said he is disappointed in his colleague’s lack of transparency.“When you and I last spoke, you promised full transparency,” Rogers wrote. “While you did respond to some of my questions I had for you, a concerning number of questions were not addressed.”
On a personal note, Austin has said the news of his diagnosis hit him hard. He desired to keep things private, but as a public figure, he knows that it is easier said than done. “The news shook me, as I
know that it shakes so many others, especially in the Black community. It was a gut punch,” he said. “And frankly, my first instinct was to keep it private. I don’t think it’s news that I’m a pretty private guy. I never like burdening others with my problems. It’s just not my way.”Statistics show Black men are 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 2.1 times more likely to die from the disease than white men.