The Pentagon reported that the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin has been hospitalized since Monday due to complications resulting from a minor medical intervention, and while not providing further details citing “privacy” reasons, he underlines that The officer is “recovering well”.
The information was given Friday by Pentagon press secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, and was the first official acknowledgment that Austin had been admitted –five days earlier at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Ryder said Friday that it was unclear when Austin would be discharged, but said the secretary was “recovering well and expects to fully resume activities today.”
The Pentagon said Austin suffered “complications following a recent elective medical procedure,” but declined to say what the procedure was or what complications he suffered.
An elective medical procedure is an operation that patients must undergo, but not immediately. Unlike emergency surgery, it is planned in advance.
The Pentagon’s failure to disclose Austin’s hospitalization It is contrary to usual practice with other senior United States and government officials, including the President.
The Pentagon Press Association, which represents media outlets covering the Department of Defense, sent a letter of complaint to Ryder and Chris Meagher, Under Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs.
Austin’s agenda is mainly occupied by conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Photo: EFE/Government of Israel.“The fact that he was at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for four days and that the Pentagon has thus far alerted the public late Friday afternoon is a scandal,” the Pentagon Press Association wrote in its letter.
“At a time when There are growing threats to U.S. military service members in the Middle East, and with the United States playing key national security roles in the wars in Israel and Ukraine, is especially important to the American public be informed about your health status and the decision-making capacity of its top defense leader,” the letter adds.
Ryder said this is an “evolving situation” and that, Due to medical and privacy concerns, the department has not made Austin’s absence public.. He declined to provide further details about the medical procedure or Austin’s health.
In a statement, Ryder said that at all times Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks “stood ready to act on behalf of the secretary and exercise her powers as necessary.”
Austin, 70, spent 41 years in the Army, retiring as a four-star general in 2016.
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.