US defense secretary Lloyd Austin transfers duties to deputy after being hospitalised

Biden's top military adviser is receiving treatment for an 'emergent bladder issue', with deputy Kathleen Hicks taking over his duties Joe Biden's top military adviser, Lloyd Austin, has been hospitalized because of an "emergent bladder issue", and has transferred his duties to deputy secretary of defense Kathleen Hicks. The defense secretary's admission to Walter Reed national military medical center was announced early Sunday evening, with the Pentagon outlining his condition in a statement.