President Joe Biden acknowledged a lapse in judgment by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for not informing him about his recent hospitalization, and reaffirmed his confidence in the Pentagon chiefs leadership during a visit to a Pennsylvania coffee shop Friday.Yes, Biden responded when reporters asked whether Austin made a mistake in keeping his prostate cancer treatment and subsequent complications under wraps. However, the President quickly followed up with a firm I do when asked if he still trusted Austins ability to steer the Department of Defense.Notably, these were the first remarks made by the American president after the hospitalization of the commander-in-chief. The 70-year-old defense chief is currently recovering from complications following a successful surgery for prostate cancer.The secrecy around Austins health situation drew sharp criticism from both sides of the political spectrum, with some even demanding his resignation. The Pentagons internal watchdog promptly launched an investigation, seeking to solve the reasons behind the information blackout and its delay in reaching the White House.Is Austin working from hospitalAdding to the controversy, CNN reported that Austin, even from his hospital bed, remained heavily involved in authorizing U.S.-British airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. The Pentagon confirmed the attacks, touting their success in disrupting Houthi offensive capabilities, while the Yemeni rebel group vowed retaliation.Llyod Austin kept his cancer diagnosis secretThe United States Secretary of Defenses Cancer was detected during a regular examination. After that, he was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on December 22 and underwent surgery for the treatment. A week later, he faced complications and was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) on January 1.He didnt disclose his hospitalization to Biden or other top administration officials of the White House until January 4 and kept his cancer diagnosis secret.
