Thirty-four percent of likely U.S. voters say Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin should step down because of his health issues, according to a poll released Wednesday by Rasmussen Reports.
Forty-six percent disagree and 20% are not sure.
Austin, who is being treated for prostate cancer, suffered complications that led to him being hospitalized on New Year's Day.
The cancer revelation answers the main question about Austin's hospitalization, which lasted 15 days — he was released Monday — but it might only add to questions of accountability, since President Joe Biden only learned about the cancer diagnosis last week, even though it was made about a month ago.
"Nobody at the White House knew that Secretary Austin had prostate cancer until this morning," said John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman. "And the president was informed immediately after."
Austin released a statement saying he took "full responsibility" for his decisions about disclosure, and Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters that "there's been a lot of lessons learned and there has been a commitment by the secretary to do better when it comes to transparency."
Austin's failure to tell Biden he was hospitalized drew criticism from lawmakers and caught the White House by surprise.
The Defense Department's inspector general's office said last Thursday it will begin a review this month of the handling of Austin's hospitalization.
The Rasmussen poll of 1,077 likely voters was conducted Jan. 10-14.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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