WASHINGTON - The Pentagon’s independent inspector-general will investigate United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin’s failure to report his hospitalisation to the rest of the government, a memo released on Jan 11 said.

Mr Austin kept President Joe Biden and Congress in the dark about his prostate cancer diagnosis for weeks and did not inform them about his hospitalisation at the beginning of 2024, leading to growing calls for him to resign or be fired.

The situation is a major headache for Mr Biden in an election year, putting the President on the defensive and providing an opening for attacks by Republicans who are already painting him as too old to manage the job.

“The objective of the review is to examine the roles, processes, procedures, responsibilities, and actions related to the Secretary of Defence’s hospitalisation in December 2023 to January 2024,” the memo said, referring to Mr Austin’s prostate cancer treatment and subsequent complications.

The probe will also assess whether Defence Department “policies and procedures are sufficient to ensure timely and appropriate notifications and the effective transition of authorities”, it added.

Mr Austin, a 70-year-old career soldier, underwent minor surgery to treat the cancer on Dec 22.

The Defence Secretary returned home the following day, but was readmitted due to complications including nausea and severe pain on Jan 1.

Undisclosed cancer diagnosis

The White House was not informed about Mr Austin’s hospitalisation until Jan 4, while Congress was not told until Jan 5, and Mr Biden did not learn of the cancer diagnosis until Jan 9.

In response, White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients ordered an urgent review of the rules for when senior US officials are incapacitated, as did Mr Austin’s Chief of Staff, Ms Kelly Magsamen.

The Defence Secretary’s undisclosed hospitalisation left a key national security official unaccounted for at a time when Washington’s forces are frequently under fire in Iraq and Syria, and Yemeni rebels are attacking international shipping in the Red Sea.

Republican lawmakers have called for Mr Austin to go and have threatened him with impeachment – the latest Biden administration official they are targeting in a bid to hammer the Democrats ahead of November’s election.

Various Democrats have also expressed concern, but only one member of Mr Biden’s party has called for the Defence Secretary to leave office.

Unlike the series of dismissals of Donald Trump’s turbulent administration, Mr Biden has repeatedly been unwilling to sack senior officials.

He notably clung to National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan after the chaotic US exit from Afghanistan in 2021, and has likewise stood by Mr Austin so far. AFP