Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin returns to work at Pentagon

Jan. 29 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin returned to his regular duties at the Pentagon after receiving treatment for cancer.

The Department of Defense confirmed in a statement that Austin, 70, had returned to work at the Pentagon after conducting his work from home following his release two weeks ago from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Following a checkup on Friday, doctors at Walter Reed said Austin's "prostate cancer was treated early and effectively, and his prognosis is excellent."

They added he was expected to make a "full recovery" and no further treatments were planned outside of continued physical therapy and post-prostatectomy follow-up appointments.

Austin underwent surgery on Dec. 22 and was discharged the same day but was later admitted on Jan. 1 to the intensive care unit at Walter Reed outside Washington after he experienced intestinal pain.

The White House was notified three days later which caused backlash and some calling for Austin to resign from his cabinet post. But the Biden administration reaffirmed its support for Austin and dismissed any call for him to step down.

A formal, Republican-led congressional inquiry into Austin's perceived failure to inform the president of his condition was labeled as "unacceptable" by House Armed Services Committee Chairman U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., who was critical of the situation. Rogers has requested that Austin give a Feb. 14 testimony to answer any remaining questions from members of Congress.

"With wars in Ukraine and Israel, the idea that the White House and even your own deputy did not understand the nature of your condition is patently unacceptable," Rogers commented.

John Kirby -- the Pentagon's National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communication -- said Biden not only values Austin's "advice, candor, and leadership" but "respects" how the former four-star general "took ownership for the lack of transparency." He added that the administration feels Austin has done an "amazing job" leading national defense since he took the job on Jan. 22, 2021.