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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was released from the hospital Monday following prostate cancer surgery and follow-up complications that sparked a firestorm when he kept his initial diagnosis and treatment hidden, including from President Biden.
Mr. Austin, 70, thanked his doctors following his release.
“I’m grateful for the excellent care I received at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and want to thank the outstanding doctors and nursing staff for their professionalism and superb support,” he said in a statement. “I also am thankful and appreciative for all the well wishes I received for a speedy recovery.
“Now, as I continue to recuperate and perform my duties from home, I’m eager to fully recover and return as quickly as possible to the Pentagon,” he said.
The White House, the Defense Department’s internal watchdog and congressional Republicans are all conducting sweeping reviews of Mr. Austin’s hospital stay and the circumstances surrounding it, which sparked bipartisan calls for the secretary’s resignation.
Mr. Austin was rushed to the hospital on Jan. 1 after experiencing abdominal pain following his Dec. 22 prostatectomy. His attempt to keep the medical procedure quiet, including not notifying his senior Pentagon staff, the Pentagon press corps or the White House for several days, sparked a full-blown national security crisis.
Outrage on Capitol Hill grew after revelations that Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, the effective acting secretary of defense for two days earlier this month, didn’t know that Mr. Austin was in the intensive care unit at Walter Reed. On Jan. 2, Ms. Hicks was on vacation in Puerto Rico when she got an email notification that “certain authorities of the secretary of defense” were transferred to her. But she wasn’t informed about Mr. Austin’s hospitalization until Jan. 4 — two days later.
Even some Democrats said the issue was serious enough to warrant Mr. Austin’s resignation.
“I have lost trust in Secretary Lloyd Austin’s leadership of the Defense Department due to the lack of transparency about his recent medical treatment and its impact on the continuity of the chain of command,” said Rep. Chris Deluzio, Pennsylvania Democrat and member of the House Armed Services Committee, in a statement last week. “I have a solemn duty in Congress to conduct oversight of the Defense Department through my service on the House Armed Services Committee. That duty today requires me to call on Secretary Austin to resign.”
Pentagon officials have stressed that national security was not compromised at any point over the past several weeks, even when Mr. Austin was in surgery or in the intensive care unit.
Mr. Biden, who learned of Mr. Austin’s cancer diagnosis only then the Defense Department acknowledged it to the press, has faulted his Pentagon chief for his handling of the incident but insisted he retained full confidence in Mr. Austin and would not fire him.
Still, there are significant outstanding questions. In a letter last week announcing its review, the Defense Department inspector general said its investigation is meant to “examine the roles, processes, procedures, responsibilities and actions related to the secretary of defense’s hospitalization in December 2023 – January 2024, and assess whether the DoD’s policies and procedures are sufficient to ensure timely and appropriate notifications and the effective transition of authorities as may be warranted due to health-based or other unavailability of senior leadership.”
The Associated Press reported that it is still unclear when Mr. Austin will be able to return to his office in the Pentagon or how his medical scare will affect his job and travel. Ms. Hicks has been taking on some of his day-to-day duties as he recovers.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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