Austin was scheduled to travel to Brussels this week for meetings on Wednesday about the war in Ukraine.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has transferred his duties to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks after she was hospitalized for an “emerging bladder issue,” the Pentagon announced Sunday.
The 70-year-old Pentagon chief is in the critical care unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Virginia, and officials said the length of his hospital stay has not yet been determined, the spokesman said. bbc reported.
In its announcement, the Pentagon confirmed that the White House and senior defense officials were notified, as Austin previously faced criticism for not disclosing his prostate cancer diagnosis and hospital stays in December and January.
Hours later, they shared an update that Austin had been admitted to the critical care unit for supportive care and close monitoring after testing, the hospital confirmed.
The bladder problem is not expected to change Austin's “expected full recovery,” his doctors said, following a prostate cancer diagnosis in December.
“His cancer prognosis remains excellent.”
Austin was scheduled to travel to Brussels this week for a meeting on Wednesday about the ongoing war in Ukraine. It is not yet clear whether his stay in the hospital will impede those plans.
Late last year, Austin underwent surgery to treat cancer, but was readmitted to the hospital on New Year's Day with severe pain in his legs, hips and abdomen due to complications.
He remained in the hospital for two more weeks after an evaluation found a urinary tract infection.
Senior defense officials and the Biden administration did not learn that Austin was seriously ill until three days after his reentry in January.
The Defense Secretary denied ordering staff to cover his hospital stay from the White House or the public, but did not clarify whether staff acted outside of his orders.
He said he was “deeply sorry” for not giving proper notice and said he had personally apologized to US President Joe Biden.
Biden maintained his confidence in Austin's leadership, saying he was “suboptimal” in not disclosing the severity of his illness.
Austin is scheduled to testify before Congress later this month about his failure to notify administration leaders.
