(AURN News) – U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin remains under medical care at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He was admitted to the hospital after complications following a recent elective medical procedure, according to the Pentagon.
In a recent statement, Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder provided an update on Secretary Austin’s health, revealing that Austin continues to recover and is reported to be in “good spirits.”
“Since resuming his duties on Friday evening, the Secretary has received operational updates and has provided necessary guidance to his team. He has full access to required secure communications capabilities and continues to monitor DoD’s day-to-day operations worldwide,” Maj. Gen. Ryder said.
It was further disclosed by the Pentagon that Secretary Austin spoke with President Biden over the weekend. But amidst the updates on Secretary Austin’s health, a new development has emerged on the political front. In a joint statement, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) and Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA), want more information about Austin’s condition and whether or not he has been able to continue his duties.
“While we wish Sec. Austin a speedy recovery, we are concerned with how the disclosure of the Secretary’s condition was handled. Several questions remain unanswered including what the medical procedure and resulting complications were, what the Secretary’s current health status is, how and when the delegation of the Secretary’s responsibilities were made, and the reason for the delay in notification to the President and Congress,” they said.
“Transparency is vitally important. Sec. Austin must provide these additional details on his health and the decision-making process that occurred in the past week as soon as possible,” the statement continued.
As of now, no official release date for Secretary Austin has been announced.
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