{"id":76190,"date":"2024-01-09T20:14:58","date_gmt":"2024-01-09T20:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/01\/09\/secdef-austin-developed-infection-after-prostate-cancer-treatment\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:15:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:15:20","slug":"secdef-austin-developed-infection-after-prostate-cancer-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2024\/01\/09\/secdef-austin-developed-infection-after-prostate-cancer-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Austin developed infection after prostate cancer treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin\u2019s Jan. 1 hospitalization<\/a> was due to a urinary tract infection that developed after he underwent prostate cancer treatment on Dec. 22, doctors from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center<\/a> said in a statement Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The infection was cleared as of Tuesday and he is expected to make a full recovery, Dr. John Maddox, Walter Reed\u2019s trauma medicine director, and Dr. Gregory Chesnut, head of prostate cancer research, wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSecretary Austin continues to recover well and remains in good spirits.\u201d Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, said Tuesday during a briefing. \u201cHe\u2019s in contact with his senior staff and has full access to required secure communications capabilities and continues to monitor the [department\u2019s] day to day operations worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Austin\u2019s team did not inform the White House or Congress about his condition or hospitalization for several days last week following his New Year\u2019s Day return to Walter Reed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Tuesday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the White House was not informed that Austin had prostate cancer until earlier in the day and admitted that the lack of information from Austin was \u201cnot optimal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n