Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin acknowledged Thursday he was “shaken” by a prostate cancer diagnosis in early December, but issued a string of apologies for concealing his health issues from the president and the American people in his first public media briefing since the furor broke last month.
Mr. Austin called the medical news a “gut punch” and said his first instinct was to keep his condition private, including from President Biden and the press.
But Mr. Austin’s efforts to keep his medical condition under wraps backfired spectacularly, triggering multiple investigations and internal reviews, as well as calls from some lawmakers on Capitol Hill for his resignation. The White House and the Pentagon press corps only learned of year-end emergency surgery for the defense secretary days after it happened.
“We did not handle this right and I did not handle this right. I should have told the president about my cancer diagnosis. I should have also told my team and the American public,” a subdued Mr. Austin said Thursday. “I take full responsibility. I apologize to my teammates and to the American people.”
The defense chief acknowledged that he was still recovering after moving slowly with a slight limp to the podium in the Pentagon press briefing room. He still has leg pains and is going through physical therapy.
“I don’t think it’s news that I’m a pretty private guy. I’ve never liked burdening others with my problems. It’s not my way,” Mr. Austin told reporters. “But I’ve learned from this experience.”
He said he now realizes that accepting a critical national security position means forfeiting some of the privacy he has always cherished.
“The American people have a right to know when their leaders are facing health challenges that might affect their ability to perform their duties, even temporarily,” Mr. Austin said.
But, he insisted that the nation’s security was never put at risk because of his cancer surgery or the later complications that sent him back to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
“There were no gaps in authority and no risks to the [Defense] Department’s command and control,” Mr. Austin said. “At every moment, either I or [Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks] was in full charge. We’ve already put in place some new procedures to make sure that any lapses in notification don’t happen.”
But Ms. Hicks was told about the secretary’s hospital stay and notified that she was temporarily in charge of the nation’s defense while on vacation in Puerto Rico. Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, learned that Mr. Austin was at Walter Reed on Jan. 2. Although he is the president’s principal military adviser, Gen. Brown didn’t inform the White House of Mr. Austin’s medical condition.
The press briefing did not resolve all the questions about Mr. Austin’s actions, which have led some on Capitol Hill to call for him to step down. Mr. Austin said it was still not clear why his second, more extended hospital stay was not conveyed to all his aides and the White House in quick order.
The fallout from the incident for the Pentagon chief is not over: The Defense Department’s inspector general is investigating the handling of his health problems and the Republican-led House Armed Services Committee has called Mr. Austin for a planned Feb. 14 hearing on the controversy. Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee are also pressing for a hearing.
On Dec. 22, Mr. Austin had minimally invasive surgery to treat his recently diagnosed prostate cancer. He was hit with what he called “bad luck” on New Year’s Day during what is usually a pretty easy recovery.
“I felt severe leg pain and pain in the abdomen and hip,” Mr. Austin said. “The doctors found that I had several issues that needed treatment, including a bladder infection and abdominal problems.”
Mr. Austin said he never directed his staff to withhold information about his medical condition from the White House after he was rushed back to Walter Reed Hospital to deal with the complications from his earlier surgery. The secretary also said he didn’t tell his military aide to direct the ambulance not to use its lights and sirens when responding to his home.
“I asked my assistant to call the ambulance but did not direct him to do anything further than that,” Mr. Austin said.
He apologized to Mr. Biden for not keeping him informed about his prostate cancer diagnosis and his hospitalization following complications from his surgery.
“As a rule, I don’t talk about conversations with my boss. I told him that I’m deeply sorry for not letting him know immediately that I received a heavy diagnosis and was getting treatment,” Mr. Austin said, adding the president responded with “grace and a warm heart.”
“I’m grateful for his full confidence in me,” the defense secretary said.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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