Austin, who is suffering from prostate cancer, will continue in his duties for the time being.
of the United States Minister of Defense Lloyd Austin has been hospitalized again, says the country's Ministry of Defense in the bulletin.
According to the Ministry of Defense, Austin, who is suffering from prostate cancer, was taken to the hospital on Sunday to be checked due to symptoms suggesting a bladder problem.
According to the ministry, the matter has been reported to the Deputy Minister of Defense, the country's Congress, the Council of US Defense Branch Commanders, and the White House. Austin will continue in his duties for the time being.
After a check-up in late January, doctors estimated that Austin would likely make a full recovery from his prostate cancer.
For Austin, 70, underwent minor surgery in December to treat cancer. He ended up back in the hospital on New Year's Day due to complications. The ministry didn't tell about Austin's hospitalization until several days later. Republican decision-makers have demanded Austin's resignation due to the delay and threatened him with impeachment.
“I should have told the president about my cancer diagnosis,” Austin told reporters in early February.
At the time, he said that he was still recovering and that he was suffering from leg pain, which is why he used a golf cart to move around the Pentagon area of the Ministry of Defense's main building.
In connection with Austin's trip to the hospital, investigations were started in both the White House and the Ministry of Defense.
The Biden administration has since introduced new guidelines on how to inform the president if powers are transferred from a minister to a subordinate. At the same time, it was also outlined that ministries must ensure that powers are delegated in various situations when the minister may be unreachable.
The Minister of Defence hospital trips have come at a difficult time for the United States. A close ally of the United States is waging a war in Gaza against the extremist organization Hamas and has faced increasing accusations of genocide due to its military actions, among other things. The situation between Israel and the Lebanese Shiite organization Hezbollah has also been feared to escalate further.
The United States itself has carried out attacks against pro-Iranian groups in Iraq and Syria. In addition, the country has struck several times in Yemen, where the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been targeted. These have recently disturbed the international with their attacks shipping in the Red Sea.
Austin also plays a key role as the Biden administration seeks to maintain its support for Ukraine, which is defending itself against a war of aggression from Russia. The planned new aid package for the country has been stuck in the US Congress due to Republican opposition.
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