Defense secretary back to work after second hospitalization of 2024

Staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Tuesday night released U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. He had entered critical care on Sunday after experiencing an issue related to a surgery he had in December to treat prostate cancer. On Monday, Walter Reed’s Dr. John Maddox reaffirmed the assessment that Austin’s cancer prognosis is good, adding that they expected him to be able to return to work on Tuesday.

Is Austin back in the office? The Department of Defense said in a statement that Austin would be working from home and that he would be returning to the Pentagon later this week. He was recovering well, according to the statement.

How did Austin communicate about this hospital stay? The Pentagon said in a statement at around 2 p.m. Sunday that Austin had entered the hospital and would retain his office’s duties and functions. The statement added that the White House and Congress had received notice that he was entering the hospital. Just a few hours later, the Pentagon said in another statement that Austin’s Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks was temporarily taking over the functions and duties of Austin’s position.

Why that much communication? Last month, Austin entered the hospital after experiencing nausea and severe leg, hip, and abdominal pain. The Pentagon didn’t issue a statement until several days after he had entered the hospital. Austin acknowledged that he failed to communicate adequately and promised to “commit to doing better.”

Dig deeper: Listen to Carolina Lumetta and Leo Briceno explain the foreign aid package the U.S. Senate just passed on The World and Everything in It podcast.