Kirby: Biden Not Told Austin Has Cancer Until Today
Joe Biden was not informed of the prostate cancer diagnosis of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin until today, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters at Tuesday’s White House press briefing. Kirby said Biden was told of Austin’s illness by White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients in the morning. A press release earlier Tuesday by doctors treating Austin revealed his cancer diagnosis.
Austin had minor surgery in secret on December 22 to treat prostate cancer, but suffered complications and was secretly taken by ambulance on January 1 back to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland where he was secretly treated in the Intensive Care Unit for about a week after suffering an infection and severe intestinal issues.
