Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin leaves hospital for 3rd time in two months

(WASHINGTON) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin left the hospital on Tuesday afternoon after being admitted to the intensive care unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center earlier in the week, the Pentagon said.

Austin was put under general anesthesia on Monday for a non-surgical procedure to treat an “emergent bladder issue,” his doctors have said in a statement.

Austin was forced to cancel a planned trip to Brussels this week as a result of the medical episode.

Austin’s hospitalization was the secretary’s third since his diagnosis of prostate cancer in December.

Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said earlier Tuesday that “we anticipate Secretary Austin will be released from the hospital later today. So, we will provide an update on when that occurs, and when he resumed his full duties and functions.”

She said it’s not believed that the bladder issue was related to his cancer diagnosis.