Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin underwent non-surgical procedures after being admitted to the hospital over the weekend for symptoms suggesting an emerging bladder problem, doctors said Monday.
Austin was taken to Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Maryland on Sunday.
“Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III underwent non-surgical procedures under general anesthesia to address his bladder issue. We anticipate a successful recovery and will monitor him closely overnight,” a statement from Walter Reed reads. , Dr. John Maddox, medical director of trauma. and Dr. Gregory Chesnut, director of the Prostate Disease Research Center at Murtha Cancer Center.
WHITE HOUSE ESTABLISHES GUIDELINES FOR CABINET NOTIFICATIONS FOLLOWING AUSTIN HOSPITALIZATION CONTROVERSY
Pentagon officials confirmed Saturday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remains hospitalized, nearly two weeks after his admission due to complications from prostate cancer surgery. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“A prolonged hospital stay is not anticipated,” the doctors said. “We anticipate that the Secretary will be able to resume normal duties tomorrow. The current bladder issue is not expected to change his expected full recovery.”
Austin is expected to resume duties on Tuesday. He previously transferred the functions and duties from him to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks.
He secretary of defense A planned trip to Brussels this week for meetings on Ukraine and NATO has been cancelled, and Wednesday's Ukraine Defense Contact Group will meet virtually, the department said Monday.
In December, Austin was admitted to Walter Reed Hospital and underwent surgery for prostate cancer. He developed an infection a week later and was readmitted to the hospital. Hicks filled in for her at the time while she was on previously scheduled leave.
On Monday, Maddox and Chesnut said Austin's “cancer prognosis remains excellent.”
The Pentagon in Washington, March 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)
The secretary was harshly criticized in January after his hospitalization for cancer. Austin was admitted but the Pentagon did not inform President Biden, Congress or the press until days later.
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Austin said he apologized directly to Biden for not giving advance notice of his hospitalization.
“I want to be very clear. We didn't handle this well and I didn't handle it well,” Austin said during a Feb. 1 press conference, regarding his hospitalization for treatment of prostate cancer. “I should have told the president about my cancer diagnosis. I should have also told my team and the American public, and I take full responsibility. I apologize to my teammates and the American people.”
Fox News Digital's Landon Mion contributed to this report.
