(Credit: US DOD)    U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III

By  Gary  Raynaldo    –  DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

U.S Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remained hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday and is in good condition, a Pentagon spokesperson said. But there are many questions regarding Austin’s lack of disclosure and details regarding his New Year’s Day hospitalization.   Austin has resumed the full duties of his office and remains in contact with senior advisors as he continues to recover after experiencing complications from a recent elective medical procedure, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement.  Ryder added that Austin is recovering well and in good spirits. “He is no longer in the Intensive Care Unit and is recovering in a more private area of the hospital. He continues to experience discomfort but his prognosis is good.”  Ryder said the Pentagon does not have a specific date for his release from the hospital at this time but will continue to provide updates.  Austin had a medical procedure Dec. 22, went home a day later and was admitted to intensive care Jan. 1 when he began experiencing severe pain, according to the Pentagon.  The specific elective medical procedure has not been disclosed. 

Austin’s “secretive” hospitalization has sparked controversy in political circles in DC with many criticizing his lack of disclosure in failing to inform the Pentagon’s second-in command official  Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathy Hicks that he was hospitalized Jan.1 until four days after she had assumed some of his duties.  Austin also apparently did not immediately communicate to  anyone at the White House or the National Security Council of his emergency hospitalization. Many Republicans are calling on President Biden to fire Austin.

On Friday, Austin released a statement attempting to clean up the political mess created by his breach of protocol for the lack of disclosure. 

“I am very glad to be on the mend and look forward to returning to the Pentagon soon. I also understand the media concerns about transparency and I recognize I could have done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed. I commit to doing better.  But this is important to say: this was my medical procedure, and I take full responsibility for my decisions about disclosure.”

-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin