U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was released from the hospital on Monday after prostate cancer surgery.
“The Secretary continues to recover well and, on the advice of doctors, will recuperate and perform his duties remotely for a period of time before returning full-time to the Pentagon,” the Department of Defense said in a Monday statement. “He has full access to required secure communications capabilities.”
Austin has been hospitalized for more than two weeks at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD.
The department’s inspector general is investigating a communication breakdown over the hospitalization after it didn’t properly notify President Joe Biden and other officials about the matter.
“The objective of the review is to examine the roles, processes, procedures, responsibilities, and actions related to the Secretary of Defense’s hospitalization in December 2023 – January 2024, and assess whether the DoD’s policies and procedures are sufficient to ensure timely and appropriate notifications and the effective transition of authorities as may be warranted due to health-based or other unavailability of senior leadership,” according to a memo issued by the inspector general.
Austin is expected to make a full recovery, according to his doctors.
“Secretary Austin progressed well throughout his stay and his strength is rebounding,” the Defense department’s statement said. “He underwent a series of medical tests and evaluations and received non-surgical care during his stay to address his medical needs, to include resolving some lingering leg pains.”
