Austin released from hospital, resumes full duties

Photo: Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin (Getty Images)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was discharged from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center before the meeting of the contact group on Ukraine in the Ramstein format, which will take place in Brussels today, February 14, informs the Pentagon press service.

It is reported that Austin is feeling well and ready to perform his duties. The rapid discharge of the head of the Pentagon from the hospital was announced the day before by the Deputy Press Secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense, Sabrina Singh. During his hospitalization, the Deputy Minister of Defense, Kathleen Hicks, assumed his responsibilities.

Upon the advice of his doctors, Austin will work remotely for some time from home before returning to the Pentagon later this week. It is noted that he has full access to non-classified and classified communication systems necessary for performing his duties.

What preceded

On February 12, information surfaced in the media that the head of the Pentagon, Lloyd Austin, canceled his visit to Brussels due to an urgent hospitalization.

During his visit, he was supposed to personally lead the meeting of the Contact Group on Defense Issues for Ukraine in Brussels. The 70-year-old head of the Pentagon was hospitalized due to problems with the bladder.

Later, it became known that Austin planned to participate in the meeting of the Contact Group on Defense for Ukraine (Ramstein format) despite the urgent hospitalization. From the U.S. side, Charles Brown, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Celeste Wallander, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs at the Pentagon, will also participate in Ramstein.