[ad_1]
WASHINGTON – Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was rushed to the hospital Sunday with “emergency” symptoms of bladder disease, less than a month after his controversial secret stay at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The patient was admitted to the critical care ward.
Austin, 70, was brought back to Walter Reed by security guards at 2:20 p.m. Sunday, said Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman. Just before 5 p.m., he delegated authority to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks.
Austin’s doctors said in a statement late Sunday night that they performed tests on him and admitted him to Watler-Reed’s “critical care unit” for “supportive care and close monitoring.”
“At this time, it is unclear how long Secretary Austin will remain in the hospital,” Austin doctors John Maddox and Gregory Chesnutt said in a statement.
Ryder said in a statement that unlike his previous hospitalization, which began on Jan. 1, Austin has notified White House, Congress and Pentagon officials.
Preparing to vote: See who’s running for president and compare their positions on important issues with our voter guide
Earlier Sunday, Ryder said Austin had the authority to do his job, noting that he had the necessary secret communications system to do his job.
Austin complained of severe pain and was taken by ambulance to Walter Reed Hospital on January 1st. According to doctors, he developed complications from surgery for prostate cancer on December 22nd. Austin did not notify key staff in the White House, Congress, or the Pentagon of his diagnosis.
Austin’s staff also tried to keep Austin’s ambulance ride discreet, according to 911 call records obtained by USA TODAY. Officials asked dispatchers to approach the home in suburban northern Virginia “quietly” and without using sirens or flashing lights.
Doctors at Walter Reed Hospital kept him in intensive care for four days, a fact Austin kept secret. He eventually transferred that authority to Hicks.
Austin apologized at a press conference on February 1 for trying to hide his illness and subsequent hospitalization. He called the diagnosis a “gut feeling” and said he instinctively wanted to keep his illness a secret. He said he took full responsibility for the mistake, adding that he had never pressured his staff to withhold details.
Last week, Ryder announced that Pentagon officials had completed a review of their transfer of authority policy. Austin is reviewing the report before publication. Additionally, the Department of Defense Inspector General is investigating the matter, and Congress has asked Austin to testify on the matter.
Austin’s hospitalization comes at a pivotal moment as he prepares for a meeting with key European allies over aid to Ukraine defending against Russia’s illegal aggression. Mr. Austin is scheduled to meet in Brussels with allies that provide military aid and the defense secretaries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The Senate on Sunday approved a foreign aid package containing $60 billion to provide Ukraine with the weapons it needs to fight Russia. The future of the bill is uncertain, as some Republicans in the House of Representatives oppose financial support for Kyiv.
NATO allies are also likely concerned about former President Donald Trump’s comments over the weekend that disparaged the alliance’s values. Trump, the front-runner for the Republican nomination, reiterated his false criticism of NATO’s funding methods, insisting that European treaty countries pay enough money to satisfy him if they are attacked by Russia. He said that it may not be possible to defend it unless it is.
[ad_2]
Source link
