Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hospitalized due to medical procedure complications

Austin has remained in the hospital since the evening of January 1st. The Pentagon announced that the department head was still hospitalized four days later. However, Major General Pat Ryder, the Pentagon's Press Secretary, did not mention the hospitalization during a press conference on Thursday.

"On the evening of January 1st, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center due to complications from a recent scheduled medical procedure. His recovery is progressing well, and he plans to resume his full duties today. The Deputy Secretary of Defense was ready to act on behalf of the Secretary and exercise his authority if needed during this time," the Friday statement read.

On Saturday, Austin himself decided to address the situation. Austin, who had not previously informed the public about his condition, acknowledged that he "understands the concerns" and "commits to improvement".

"I also understand the media's concerns about transparency, and I realize that I could have been more proactive in providing the proper public information. I commit to improving that," the Secretary of Defense stated.

"I am pleased to be recovering and looking forward to returning to the Pentagon quickly. However, it should be noted, that it was my medical procedure and I take full responsibility for my decisions regarding disclosing information," he added.