US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was admitted to Walter Reed Military Hospital on January 1st with a urinary tract infection following surgery he underwent in December to treat prostate cancer, according to a medical statement released today by the US Pentagon.

The infection was effectively treated and Lloyd Austin is recovering, the hospital said in a statement. “We expect him to fully recover”, add the treating doctors, underlining that it may take some time.

“During his hospitalization, Minister Austin never lost consciousness and was never administered general anesthesia,” it noted.

“Prostate cancer is detected early and the prognosis is excellent,” the Pentagon assures in a press release.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had not even informed US President Joe Biden about his admission to the hospital for days, which caused strong reactions.

Former President Donald Trump, who is considered the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, argued Sunday that Lloyd Austin should be fired for “professional misconduct and dangerous dereliction of duty.”

However, yesterday Monday the White House announced that President Biden still has “absolute confidence” in Austin and that there is no question of removing him from the Department of Defense.