United States: An investigation was launched at the Pentagon after the discreet hospitalization of its leader

How could Joe Biden not have been informed? The U.S. Defense Department will launch an independent investigation into two long-secret hospitalizations of Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin for prostate cancer, according to an internal memo released Thursday. “The purpose of this review is to study activities related to the roles, processes, procedures, responsibilities and activities of the Minister of Defense between December 2023 and January 2024,” it said in the text.

Lloyd Austin, 70, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in early December. He underwent surgery under general anesthesia on December 22 and was re-admitted to the hospital on January 1 due to complications. The diagnosis and the two hospitals were only reported to senior officials in the country in recent days, starting with Democratic President Joe Biden. A silence that caused an outcry in the press and among Republicans in the middle of an election year.

An embarrassing controversy for Joe Biden

The Pentagon's inquiry, led by an independent inspector general, is expected to assess whether the Defense Department's current procedures are “adequate to provide accurate, timely notifications and effective transition of authority in the event of illness.” of senior officials,” according to an internal memo.

The dispute is deeply embarrassing for the head of state at a time when the world's leading military power is embroiled in several major conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East. Washington, which backs Kyiv against Russia and Israel against Palestinian Hamas, is seeking to mobilize its international partners against Houthi rebels in Yemen, the target of ongoing attacks in Iraq and Syria.

Lloyd calls Austin out

In this context, the White House acknowledged that the undisclosed hospitalization of one of the nation's top military officials was not an “ideal” situation. If the president retains his “confidence” in his minister, according to his spokesman, the White House has ordered a review of the rules that apply when senior officials are incapacitated.