US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is expected to make a
“full”
recovery from his prostate cancer and his prognosis is
“excellent”
, two doctors said on Friday (January 26) after a follow-up appointment.
“He continues to recover well and is expected to make a full recovery.
Minister Austin's prostate cancer was treated early and effectively, and his prognosis is excellent
,” doctors said in a statement shared by the Pentagon.
The 70-year-old ex-general learned in early December that he was suffering from prostate cancer.
He had surgery on December 22, returning home the next day, then was hospitalized again from January 1 due to complications, including nausea and severe pain.
This diagnosis and the two hospitalizations that followed were only communicated to the country's senior authorities, starting with Joe Biden, several days later, which caused an outcry in the press and among his Republican adversaries, in the midst of election year.
The White House was only informed on January 4 of his hospitalization, which was made public on the 5th.
Lloyd Austin made his first public appearance Tuesday after being released from the hospital on Jan. 15, speaking via video conference at a meeting on aid to Ukraine.
Republican elected officials called for his departure, but Joe Biden declared that he retained confidence in his Minister of Defense, while regretting a lack of communication.