According to him, Austin was brought to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center yesterday afternoon. This was reported to the Deputy Minister of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as to the White House and Congress. During Austin’s hospitalization, Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks assumed his duties, Rider added. It is unclear how long Austin will stay in the hospital.
It was planned that on February 13, the US Secretary of Defense would fly to , to hold another meeting with Ukraine’s allies in the «Ramstein» format. After that, Austin was supposed to participate in a meeting of NATO defense ministers.
Last time, Defense Minister Lloyd Austin, who was recently revealed to have prostate cancer, was hospitalized on New Year’s Eve at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The Pentagon kept this fact hidden from the public, the White House, and Congress until January 5.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, who was on vacation in Puerto Rico during the New Year holidays, was also not fully informed about what was happening until partial responsibility was entrusted to her as Acting Secretary.