The secretary of Defense of the United States, Lloyd Austinwill undergo a medical intervention this Friday to follow up on his bladder problem reported in Februaryreported the Pentagon.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks will assume her duties on an interim basis until she is able to return to work.
The Pentagon stressed that the reported bladder problem is not related to his prostate cancer diagnosisfor which he underwent a prostatectomy on December 22.
This time his cabinet specified that both the White House and Congress have been informed.
The management of his health situation led Austin in February to sing ‘mea culpa’ and to ensure that he did not handle it well, for which he apologized to both his colleagues and the general public.
Both the Pentagon and the White House also reviewed their respective information protocols to improve transparency and ensure greater knowledge about any possible momentary transfer of power.
Controversy over not reporting his health status in the past
On the night of January 1, Austin had to be hospitalized at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, outside Washington, due to complications derived from a “optional medical procedure” which he had previously undergone, according to the Department of Defense.
It is only known that Austin had this “optional medical procedure” on December 22 and was able to go home the next day, although there were complications later, according to US media. The Department of Defense only issued a brief statement reporting the hospitalization.
In that brief press release, it was only stated that Austin was in the hospital, that he was “recovering well” and that he would return “fully” to his duties that same Friday.
Hicks was on leave – of course, with communication equipment included – when he began carrying out the tasks that usually correspond to Austin from Puerto Rico on Tuesday.
Until days later it was not known that Austin was not in office, so for two days it was not known why he was exercising that authority, according to local media.
Austin’s discreet and reserved character could explain why news like this could have gone unnoticed.
A level of privacy that may be incompatible with being the top defense leader of the United States, since the American population wants to be informed about the state of physical and mental health of those in charge of the country’s security. This shows why the Defense Ministry is now communicating about this new Austin procedure.
*With Efe
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