May 25th 2024.
On the evening of April 24, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin underwent a successful medical procedure at Walter Reed Medical Center. This was confirmed by Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, who stated that Austin had temporarily transferred power while he underwent the procedure. The procedure was related to ongoing issues with Austin's bladder, which he had been experiencing since his previous medical procedure for prostate cancer.
To ensure that there was no disruption to his duties, Austin temporarily transferred power to Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks. This was done on Friday night, as Austin underwent a minimally invasive and non-surgical procedure at Walter Reed Medical Center. This information was shared by the Pentagon on Twitter, along with a photo of Austin at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, where he had addressed the graduating Class of 2024.
As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Austin had faced scrutiny in the past for not informing the White House about his cancer treatment. However, Ryder confirmed that the latest medical procedure was successful and had no effect on Austin's excellent prognosis for his cancer. He also stated that there would be no changes to Austin's official schedule, including his participation in Memorial Day events.
According to The New York Times, Austin briefly transferred his duties to Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks during his surgery. This was the same process that occurred in February, when he underwent a non-surgical procedure for a bladder issue. ABC News also reported that this recent transparency from Austin is in contrast to his attempts to keep his New Year's Day cancer treatment a secret. This has led to changes in the process of notifying others about the Secretary of Defense's health status and when a transfer of authority takes place.
On April 24, Maj. Gen. Ryder released a statement confirming that Austin's procedure had lasted approximately 2.5 hours and that he had resumed his duties as Secretary of Defense at 8:25 p.m. ET. He also reassured that there would be no changes to Austin's schedule, including his upcoming visits to Cambodia, Singapore, and France during the week of June 4. This visit to Cambodia is seen as an attempt by the Biden Administration to improve relations with the country, which have been strained due to human rights concerns and their close ties with China.
In response to Austin's visit, Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Chum Sounry expressed the importance of this visit in improving relations between the two countries. He also stated that they were working with the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh to arrange meetings between Austin and Cambodian leaders. This visit is seen as another step towards advancing the relationship between Cambodia and the United States.
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