US defence secretary makes his first appearance since secret hospitalisation

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin yesterday made his first appearance since being hospitalised for complications from cancer treatment — a stay he concealed from both the White House and Congress for several days. Austin, who was admitted to Walter Reed on January 1 and spent two weeks in the military hospital, spoke via videolink from his residence at the opening of a meeting on aid for Ukraine’s fight against invading Russian forces.
“The security of the entire international community is on the line in Ukraine’s fight. I am more determined than ever to work with our allies and partners to support Ukraine and to get the job done,” Austin said in front of a Defence Department seal and small American and Ukrainian flags. He highlighted a $250mn military assistance package that Washington announced last month, but did not detail any new American aid, with funding having dried up and Republicans refusing to authorise more until President Joe Biden bows to their demands for measures to curb migration over the Mexican border.
Austin’s prepared comments — which were posted on the Defence Department’s website — included a reference to his health: “As you can tell, I’m joining from home today. I’m feeling good and looking forward to being back at the Pentagon very soon.”
But he skipped over that section in the remarks he delivered, making no mention of his medical situation.