Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will be undergoing a medical procedure on Friday evening. As a result, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks will temporarily take over his duties.
Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder released a statement indicating that Austin would be undergoing a “scheduled, elective, and minimally invasive follow-up non-surgical procedure” related to a bladder issue he experienced earlier in the year.
“The Secretary has determined he will be temporarily unable to perform his functions and duties during the procedure,” stated the Pentagon. “Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks will assume the functions and duties of the Secretary of Defense and serve as the Acting Secretary of Defense.”
The press release clarified that “the Secretary’s bladder issue is not related to his cancer diagnosis” and has not impacted his “excellent cancer prognosis.”
The Pentagon disclosed on January 5 that Austin had been admitted to the hospital on New Year’s Day.
