Press Release
☷Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj Gen Pat Ryder Holds a Press Briefing
U.S. Department of Defense ( By Press Release office)
Feb 13,2024
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Hey everyone , good afternoon . Just wanted to update you on a few things before we dive into your questions . So , Secretary Austin is currently in the hospital at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and he ' s doing well . Yesterday , he was taken there by his security detail because he had some urgent bladder issues . Later in the day , he transferred his responsibilities to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks . The doctors at Walter Reed have been taking good care of him and he ' s now in the critical care unit for monitoring and support . We got an update from his doctors today saying that he had some non - surgical procedures for his bladder issue and they expect him to have a successful recovery . They don ' t anticipate a long hospital stay and he should be back to his normal duties tomorrow . His cancer prognosis is still excellent . We ' ll keep you updated on his status as we get more information . Unfortunately , Secretary Austin won ' t be able to travel to Brussels this week , but the Ukraine Defense Contact Group will still happen virtually . Secretary Austin might join in depending on his health , but Assistant Secretary of Defense Dr . Celeste Wallander will be there in Brussels to represent him if needed . General C . Q . Brown Jr . will also be participating virtually from D . C . Lastly , our thoughts are with the people of the Philippines as they deal with severe flooding and landslides caused by a series of storms . The US Marines have provided assistance by delivering 15 , 000 food packs through two C - 130s in coordination with the Philippine government and USAID . For more details , please contact Marine Corps Public Affairs . A: Thank you , Tara . I would refer you back to the statement I just read . According to his doctors , Secretary Austin is in good condition . He will remain in the ICU for privacy reasons and to receive critical care support for close monitoring of his progress . As stated by his doctors , his current bladder issue is not expected to affect his anticipated full recovery from cancer , and his prognosis for cancer remains excellent . With that , I ' m happy to answer any questions . Associated Press , Tara , you may proceed . Q: Hi , General Ryder . I ' d like to know the seriousness of Secretary Austin ' s current health situation . This is his second visit to the ICU at Walter Reed since his surgery , and he had to cancel his trip . Can you update us on his recovery progress and whether this hospitalization is related to ongoing cancer treatments? Can you provide a status on his prostate cancer? Shifting focus , it has been two years since the White House released its Indo - Pacific Strategy . During this time , the Department of Defense has made significant progress in promoting a free and open Indo - Pacific region through alliances and partnerships with countries like South Korea , Japan , Australia , the Philippines , and India . Despite facing challenges elsewhere , the United States will continue to prioritize efforts in this crucial region for international security , stability , and prosperity . For more information , please refer to our fact sheet on the DOD website . RYDER: Hey Tara , I don ' t have anything else to add right now , but as we get more information , we ' ll make sure to share it with you . Q: Since his hospitalization , can you give us an idea of how early his prostate cancer was detected and if there will be future hospitalizations? GEN . RYDER: Yeah , his cancer was caught early and his doctors expect him to fully recover . There won ' t be any further treatment for his cancer , just some physical therapy for his leg pains . We ' ll keep you updated on his health . Oren Q: Has Secretary Austin talked to the President since being hospitalized? Does he have any reservations about his ability to serve? And when he ' s released , will he work from home or go back to the Pentagon? GEN . RYDER: To my knowledge , he hasn ' t spoken to the President . He went to the hospital yesterday for a check - up . He ' s eager to do his duties and we ' ll update you on his healthcare plans . Jennifer Q: European allies are worried about the U . S . funding Ukraine and Trump ' s comments about NATO and Russia . Why isn ' t Deputy Defense Secretary Kath Hicks going to Brussels? GEN . RYDER: Our support for Ukraine is strong . The Secretary plans to participate in virtual meetings about supporting Ukraine . We ' ll keep you updated on that . Wallander , as you know , has been working for the Department of Defense to represent the United States and show our support for the UDCG . So she has a lot of experience and is well - prepared to represent the Secretary if needed . She will also be in Brussels to support the Ambassador and attend the NATO Defense Ministerial , both in person and virtually . GEN . RYDER: At this time , I don ' t have any additional information to provide . We will keep you updated as new information becomes available . Idrees Q: Just to follow up on that , Celeste and Julianne Smith are well - qualified , but Deputy Secretary Hicks would show how seriously the administration takes Ukraine . So , does the Secretary not have confidence in his deputy to send her while she ' s performing his duties? GEN . RYDER: The White House was informed that he was being taken to the hospital before he actually left . Congressional notifications were also made during that period . Q: Has the Secretary received any radiation treatment? What symptoms did he have before going to the hospital? Was he in a lot of pain? Was he bleeding? Can you explain the procedure that was done when he arrived? GEN . RYDER: We do not have information on whether the Secretary received radiation treatment . We also don ' t have details on his symptoms before going to the hospital . We cannot provide specifics on the procedure done when he arrived . Q: The statement says he will be able to resume his normal duties tomorrow . But you just mentioned that he canceled a planned trip . How do you reconcile these two statements? Q: Just a follow up . How long was the Secretary unconscious or under general anesthesia? Is it throughout or for a few hours here and there? Do you have any information on that? GEN . RYDER: David , we will keep you updated on his status . The statement from his doctors explains that they expect him to be able to resume his normal duties . We will inform you whether that includes working from the hospital or from home . But based on the doctors ' statements , it seems like he will recover well and is in good condition . Q: But wouldn ' t the sequence from 2:20 being taken to the hospital to 4:55 turning over his responsibilities suggest that he informed the White House? GEN . RYDER: No , I don ' t agree with that . The Secretary has full confidence in the Deputy Secretary of Defense . He has delegated his functions and duties to her as proof of that . And anyone who questions our commitment to Ukraine just needs to look at the support and assistance we have provided , and will continue to provide , to Ukraine . RYDER: Once again , I ' d like to refer you back to the statement from his doctors . As we receive more information , we ' ll definitely share it with you . From what I understand , this issue with his bladder was not related to his cancer treatment . The prognosis for his cancer is good , and this bladder issue should not affect his recovery . Q: Can you confirm if he has received radiation therapy? GEN . RYDER: To the best of my knowledge , he has not . I would refer you back to the statement regarding his treatment . Q: Pat , is this bladder complication a result of his surgery? GEN . RYDER: I ' m not a doctor , so I can ' t speak in medical terms . I would just direct you back to the statement . As we receive more information , we will share it with you . Q: ( Inaudible ) has anyone informed you or his staff that this is a complication? GEN . RYDER: He was admitted to the hospital yesterday due to an urgent bladder issue . His doctors have previously stated that he is expected to fully recover from his cancer diagnosis , which I mentioned earlier . So , as we receive more information , we will provide it . Courtney Q: That ' s what I wanted to ask too . Just to clarify , are you suggesting that this bladder issue is completely unrelated to the complications from his prostate cancer surgery in December? GEN . RYDER: What I ' m saying is that according to the statement , the current bladder issue is not expected to affect his anticipated full recovery . His cancer prognosis remains excellent . So , as we receive more information from his doctors , we will share it . Q: Can we clarify whether this bladder issue is related to the complications on New Year ' s Day? If it ' s a separate issue - GEN . RYDER: I ' ll take that question . Thank you . Fadi Q: I have two questions about Rafah . It seems that the Israelis attempted a rescue mission yesterday , and there are reports that up to 100 Palestinians were killed in the aftermath . Did the U . S . provide any assistance to the Israelis in that operation? And do you have any comments on the civilian casualties? GEN . RYDER: When it comes to Israeli operations , I suggest you reach out to them for information . When it comes to civilian casualties , you know , we really don ' t want innocent people getting hurt , whether they ' re Palestinian or Israeli . That ' s just our view on it . Q: Did the U . S . have anything to do with that operation? GEN . RYDER: Fadi , I don ' t think the United States was involved . Yes . QUESTION: So , Prime Minister Netanyahu is talking about invading Rafah , where a lot of people are seeking refuge . Amnesty International is worried it could lead to genocide . Does the Pentagon support an Israeli invasion of Rafah? GEN . RYDER: You know , I think you should ask the Israelis about their plans . Mr . Kirby has talked about this in his briefings . We just don ' t want to see any more suffering in Gaza , so we ' re in active communication with the Israelis to make sure they consider civilians in their operations . Q: Who is communicating with them? Who is "we" in "we are communicating"? I remember General Glen was involved . GEN . RYDER: Well , yeah , I mean , everyone is involved , Courtney . The president , Secretary Austin , U . S . Central Command , the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs . We ' re all talking to their counterparts about Israel ' s defense and the importance of humanitarian aid . Q: What about Rafah , though? Are there people in the military or Defense Department providing technical support? GEN . RYDER: I don ' t know of anyone . . . I don ' t know their plan . The prime minister made public comments about it , so that ' s something they should discuss . Let ' s move on to the other side of the room . Q: Did the Israelis share any plans with the Pentagon about the ground invasion? GEN . RYDER: Again , Fadi , I don ' t have anything more to say than what I ' ve already mentioned . Check Mr . Kirby ' s comments . Joseph Q: Can you give us any updates on yesterday ' s HMC with the Iraqis? GEN . GEN . RYDER: I don ' t have any information on that , you should check with CENTCOM for updates . GEN . RYDER: The Secretary intends to participate , and given the importance , we want to ensure it continues . We ' ll be flexible with the format , as we ' ve done in the past . Q: …[unintelligible] basically GEN . RYDER: I don ' t want to speculate , Lara . Yeah , I don ' t want to go into it - - well , I ' ve already explained what we ' re doing , so there you have it . Alright , let ' s take a call now . Jeff Schogol from Task & Purpose Q: Thank you . On which day did Secretary Austin have this procedure done while under general anesthesia? And since Secretary Austin is sixth in the presidential line of succession , does that mean Secretary Hicks is temporarily the sixth in line until Secretary Austin resumes his duties? GEN . RYDER: Yeah , thanks , Jeff . Regarding your second question , I ' ll get back to you on that . As for the first question , my understanding is that the procedure happened today . So that ' s all I can say for now . OK . Ryo Q: Thank you . I have a follow - up question about the Secretary ' s health . I ' m wondering if it will be difficult for the Secretary to travel to the Indo - Pacific region for a while , considering that traveling to that region usually takes longer than any other region . GEN . RYDER: Are you asking why he hasn ' t traveled to the Indo - Pacific region? Q: Yes , because of the Secretary ' s health issue , I ' m wondering if it would be challenging for him to travel there . GEN . RYDER: Thanks , Ryo . At this point , the Secretary is focused on recovering . As I mentioned earlier , he won ' t be traveling to Brussels . However , I do expect that he will travel to the Asia Pacific region in the future when he is able to . We don ' t have any travel plans to announce right now . He remains eager to fulfill his duties , including travel , when he ' s able to do so . Thank you . We have time for one more question . Yes , sir Q: Thank you , Pat . Can you tell us how long the HMC discussions will continue? Also , the Iraqi Prime Minister has stated that we are close to ending the mission of the alliance forces , including the US forces in Iraq . GEN . RYDER: I don ' t have a specific timeline . As far as I know , it hasn ' t been decided yet . The HMC will make that decision in consultation with the Iraqi government . Regarding the US presence in Iraq , I would refer back to what I mentioned earlier , that the HMC will discuss the transition from a military coalition mission to the nature of the bilateral US - Iraq relationship . Our forces are in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government . Currently , there hasn ' t been an official request for US forces to leave . We ' ll keep you updated . Alright , thank you everyone . Appreciate it . Q: Thanks . 22:26 . GEN . RYDER: Sure , I ' ll take that request . GEN . RYDER: Alright . Thanks , Jennifer . I appreciate it . Q: Could we talk to Secretary Austin ' s doctors to get an update on his condition? Thanks , everyone . Q: Can we hear from the Deputy Defense Secretary now , Acting Defense Secretary Kath Hicks? We haven ' t had a chance to question her or hear from her at the podium .
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