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- Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III was hospitalized on the evening of January 1, 2024.
- Austin was admitted due to "complications following a recent elective medical procedure."
- Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder held a press conference on Thursday and did not mention Austin's hospitalization.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III was hospitalized on the evening of January 1, 2024, but the public just learned about his admission to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday evening.
In a press statement released by the Pentagon on Friday, it was revealed that Austin was admitted due to "complications following a recent elective medical procedure."