Austin returns to Walter Reed for apparent medical issue

The Pentagon announced Sunday afternoon that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for apparent medical issues.

Austin, 70, was taken by security personnel to Walter Reed in Maryland around 2:20 p.m. Sunday after experiencing symptoms “suggestive of an emergency bladder problem,” a Pentagon report said. said Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the official. stated in a statement Sunday.

Ryder added that the deputy secretary of defense and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have been notified, and the White House and Congress have also been notified.

Ryder’s statement said that Austin is “maintaining” the functions and responsibilities of the office, but that the deputy chief of staff is available should he be required to take over duties.

It has been just under two weeks since Mr. Austin returned to the Pentagon on January 29th after being hospitalized for several weeks in early January.

He was hospitalized on January 1st due to an infection resulting from prostate cancer surgery on December 22nd. The New Year’s emergency put Austin in the intensive care unit (ICU) for several days and forced him to perform his duties from home for nearly two weeks after being released from Walter Reed.

Mr. Austin’s hospitalization sparked controversy on Capitol Hill after lawmakers learned that the White House and Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks were not informed of his hospitalization until Jan. 4. Mr. Austin did not reveal his prostate cancer diagnosis until January 9, nearly a month after his early diagnosis. He was diagnosed with cancer during a medical checkup in December.

Earlier this month, Austin apologized for not notifying government officials and acknowledged that he “failed to take action on this right.”

He told reporters he never instructed staff to keep his hospitalizations secret at Walter Reed, but acknowledged he did not notify them.

“Let me be clear: We did not handle this right. I did not handle this right. I should have told the president about the cancer diagnosis,” Austin said on February 1. He spoke at a press conference on the day. “I should have told my team and the American people, and I take full responsibility. I apologize to my teammates and the American people.”

The Pentagon has initiated a 30-day internal review of its policies and procedures in response to the incident, and the Pentagon Inspector General is also investigating the incident.

The White House has already changed its policy in response to the incident, ordering Cabinet members to notify them if they are unable to perform their duties.

Following intense scrutiny from House Republican defense hawks and a formal investigation by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), Austin agreed to testify before the committee on February 29.

Updated at 5:21 p.m.