The Pentagon said US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remains hospitalized and in good condition.
The 70-year-old was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland on December 22 with prostate cancer.
He returned to hospital on January 1 due to complications, including a urinary tract infection, and has remained there since then.
“He is in contact with his senior staff, has full access to required secure communications capabilities, and continues to monitor the daily operations of the Department of Defense around the world,” Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement.
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Last week, this was revealed to President Joe Biden and senior leaders in his administration Unaware that Mr. Austin was in the hospital.
The Pentagon did not inform the White House National Security Council or its senior advisor, Jake Sullivan, of Austin's hospitalization until Thursday, January 4.
Mr. Biden He was informed only that evening.
The Secretary of Defense sits directly below the President at the top of the U.S. military's chain of command, and his duties require that he be available at a moment's notice to respond to any form of national security crisis.
This comes at a time when the United States launched air strikes over two consecutive nights on targets linked to the Houthis in Yemen.
Dozens of sites were targeted in response to Iranian-backed forces after months of attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
