(Washington) United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin publicly apologized Thursday for keeping secret his prostate cancer and hospitalization, a matter that caused an uproar in the country.
“I want to be very clear: we did not handle this properly. And I didn’t handle it properly,” he said at a press conference.
“I should have informed the president of my cancer diagnosis. I should have told my team and the American people as well and I take full responsibility for that. I apologize to my colleagues and to the American people,” he added.
But “I want to make it very clear that there has been no vacancy in the authorities and (that there has been) no risk to the command and control of the department,” he stressed. .
Mr. Austin was widely criticized after it was revealed that he was recently hospitalized and that his health problem was kept secret, contrary to current protocols. And this in the middle of an election year and while the world’s leading military power is closely following two major conflicts, in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip.
President Joe Biden himself knew nothing about the cancer diagnosis for weeks, according to the White House.
The affair caused astonishment even in the Democratic camp and sparked calls from Republicans for Mr. Austin’s resignation.
The Secretary of Defense wanted to be reassuring about his convalescence.
“I’m recovering well, but as you can see, I’m still recovering,” he told reporters, commenting on his somewhat stiff gait. “I still have some pain in my leg,” he added, adding that he was doing physiotherapy.