White House says Biden lives in drum of Austin's diagnosis during his eight days secret hospital stay

White House backs Austin as Pentagon chief treated for prostate cancer on Tuesday. On the same day, Walter Reed National Military Center officials said that Austin was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December and underwent a minimally invasive procedure. The announcement came one day after the White House and the Pentagon both said that they would investigate why President Joe Biden and other high-ranking officials were not informed immediately about the defense secretary's hospitalization and left in the dark for several days. On Dec. 22, Austin underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure called prostatectomy to treat and cure prostate cancer. On Jan. 1, 2024, Austin was admitted again to the medical center with complications from the Dec. 22 procedure, including nausea with severe abdominal, hip and leg pain. On Jan. 2, he was transferred to an intensive care unit for close monitoring and a higher level of care. During Austin's stay in the hospital, certain authorities were transferred to Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, but both Hicks and the White House weren't informed of Austin's hospitalization until Jan. 4. Austin's secretive hospitalization occurred amid heightened tension in the Middle East and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Some Republicans in

Congress, as well as former President Donald Trump, have urged Austin to resign, criticizing his failure to disclose his hospitalization and voicing transparency concerns.