Republicans BLAST US Defense Secretary Austin over his ’secret hospitalization’ after cancer surgery

Republican lawmakers slammed U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at a hearing on Thursday (February 29) for failing to disclose his prostrate cancer surgery and subsequent hospitalization to President Joe Biden and even his deputy at the Pentagon. Austin, with support from Democrats on the House of Representatives Armed Services committee, sought to dispel accusations that his absence jeopardized national security or demonstrated any lack of influence he might have in Biden’s Democratic administration. But Republicans questioned how Biden could go for days without knowing Austin was hospitalized. Instead of disclosing his health situation, Austin opted to keep secret his initial prostate cancer surgery in December as well as a subsequent January hospitalization for post-surgical complications that landed him in the intensive care unit. Austin has apologized for the way he handled the matter, including to Biden himself, but his appearance before the committee was the first time lawmakers coul