Pentagon vows to ‘do better’ as Austin recuperates at home following cancer treatment

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is working from home while continuing physical therapy after hospitalizations for prostate cancer that were not immediately disclosed to other officials at the Pentagon or the White House.

A Defense Department spokesman said Mr. Austin is expected to make a full recovery following his stay at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

“Secretary Austin’s prostate cancer was treated early and effectively, and his prognosis is excellent,” Air Force Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said Wednesday, reading a statement from the hospital. “He has no planned further treatment for his cancer, other than regular prostatectomy surveillance.”

Mr. Austin, 70, was admitted Dec. 22 to Walter Reed, where he had surgery to treat the cancer that was detected during a routine screening earlier in the month. He developed an infection on Jan. 1 and was sent to the hospital’s intensive care unit.

President Biden and other top officials weren’t told about the secretary’s hospital stay until Jan. 4. While some GOP lawmakers have said Mr. Austin should be fired over his decision to keep his condition secret, the president said he still has confidence in him.

Mr. Austin’s hospital stay and how the information was disseminated to the White House has prompted an internal investigation inside the Pentagon and an inquiry by the Defense Department’s inspector general’s office.

“The secretary put out a statement taking full responsibility on the issues related to transparency and has committed to doing better. We, as a department, recognize that there were shortfalls, especially as related to the notification timelines,” Gen. Ryder said. “We will make sure that we’re doing what we need to do to improve and do better next time.”