POOL / REUTERS
The strange disappearance of Lloyd Austin caused controversy across the Atlantic.
Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin, under fire for a recent hospitalization that was made public late, is being treated for prostate cancer, doctors announced Tuesday, January 9, cited by the US Department of Defense. “His prostate cancer was detected early and his prognosis is excellent“, they assured in a press release from the Pentagon.
On December 22, he was admitted to Walter Reed Military Hospital and underwent a prostatectomy under general anesthesia, a surgical procedure that involves the removal of the prostate, according to doctors. Mr. AustinRecovered uneventfully from his operation and returned home the next morning“, they added.
Complications
But on January 1, he was hospitalized again with complications following the December 22 operation, “including nausea with severe pain in the abdomen, hip and leg“, they clarified. On January 2, he was transferred to intensive care.to be followed closely», They said again. “During this stay, Minister Austin never lost consciousness and was not placed under general anesthesia», According to the same source.
The hospitalization on Monday January 1 was only made public on Friday evening by the Ministry of Defense, contrary to protocol. The White House was only informed this Tuesday after Mr. Austin was admitted to hospital, a spokesperson said. A situation “not ideal“. “It’s not ideal for such a situation to go on for so long without the commander in chief knowing“, said John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council, as controversy mounts over the lack of communication around two hospitalizations of Defense Minister Lloyd Austin. “This is not how things should be“, he added during a press conference.
US President Joe Biden was not informed of the cancer diagnosis until Tuesday, according to John Kirby. He had also not been informed of the initial operation under general anesthesia on December 22. President Joe Biden has “completely trust» in his Minister of Defense despite this affair, his spokesperson assured Monday.
But several Republican opponents of Joe Biden, starting with his probable rival in the November presidential election, Donald Trump, have called for the dismissal or resignation of Lloyd Austin. Several conservatives also judged that the affair revealed a lack of authority or competence on the part of the American president.
” data-script=”https://static.lefigaro.fr/widget-video/short-ttl/video/index.js” >