National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirbyrevealed that President Joe Biden only found out that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had been diagnosed with cancer on Tuesday morning, two weeks after Austin underwent a procedure pertaining to that diagnoisis, eight days after Austin entered the hospital for a prolonged stay, and five days after Biden found out that Austin was still in the hospital.
It was originally only reported that Austin’s hospital visit stemmed from an unspecified procedure in December.
Kirby was asked directly when Biden found out about Austin’s diagnosis at a White House press briefing on Tuesday afternoon and replied that “He [Biden] was informed today.”
