Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday following his controversial two-week stay.
Austin spent two weeks at Walter Reed after suffering from complications with a surgery he had on Dec. 22 to treat prostate cancer. Some of his time in the hospital was spent in the intensive care unit. His cancer was treated early and effectively and as a result has no planned additional treatment, according to a statement from his doctors, Dr. John Maddox and Dr. Gregory Chesnut.
He is expected to make a full recovery.
Austin was hospitalized with complications from the initial prostate surgery on Jan. 1, and signed over some of his authorities to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, who was on vacation at the time. He subsequently resumed his duties as secretary on Jan. 5 and carried out those duties from the hospital but will now do so remotely “for a period of time before returning full time to the Pentagon,” according to a statement from the Pentagon.
“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,” Austin said. “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 added.
Austin’s hospitalization was kept a secret for days from Congress, the White House, and the public. The lack of transparency regarding Austin’s health has sparked changes to policy, further evaluation of policies, and multiple inquiries into how his hospitalization was not revealed for days.
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The secretary and President Joe Biden pre-approved a strike targeting an Iraqi militia leader who had been responsible for attacks against U.S. troops that was ultimately carried out while Hicks had some of his authorities. Austin subsequently ordered airstrikes against dozens of Houthi targets last Thursday from the hospital.
