US defence secretary Lloyd Austin kept cancer diagnosis secret | BBC News

President Joe Biden was only told that US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin was being treated for cancer on Tuesday, the White House has said.

Mr Austin, 70, was admitted to hospital on 1 January and then to the intensive care unit for complications following surgery in December.

He has faced criticism for not telling senior officials about it for days.

Mr Austin has since apologised for not "ensuring the public was appropriately informed".