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US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin has apologised for concealing his prostate cancer diagnosis and hospitalisation from President Joe Biden and the rest of the government.

“I should have told the president about my cancer diagnosis,” he told a press conference.

“I have apologised directly to President Biden.”

Austin effectively vanished from the public eye in late December and early January after suffering complications from treatment for minor prostate surgery on 22 December.

Even the White House was not informed about Austin’s hospitalisation until 4 January, while Congress was not told until the following day, and Biden did not learn of the cancer diagnosis until 9 January.

Austin said that he did not direct his “staff to conceal my hospitalisation from anyone” and that he had not considered resigning.

However, he admitted: “We did not get this right.”

Austin said he is still recovering and has limited use of one leg, using a golf cart to get around the Pentagon building.

Austin’s health problems and the unusual secrecy over his treatment come as US forces are fighting off daily Huthi missile attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes and preparing a military response to the killing of three US soldiers based in Jordan in a drone attack.

The top government military official is also a key figure in attempts by the administration to maintain support for Ukraine’s fight against Russian invasion, with Republican members of Congress refusing to pass a new aid package.

The 70-year-old career soldier initially underwent minor surgery to treat prostate cancer on 22 December, returning home the following day, but was readmitted due to complications, including nausea and severe pain on 1 January. – AFP