On Tuesday, Congressman Mike Rogers, in his role as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, launched a formal inquiry into Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin’s III failure to disclose his hospitalization and incapacitation.

Sec. Austin was in a hospital on January 1 for complications that resulted from treatment for prostate cancer and was admitted to intensive care.

Not only was Congress and the press not informed, the Biden Administration, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and even senior staff at the Department of Defense also did not know that the top Defense official was gone and incapacitated.

Austin did not disclose that he had prostate cancer to the President or the Congress until Tuesday.

“Everything from ongoing counterterrorism operations to nuclear command and control relies on a clear understanding of the Secretary’s decision-making capacity,” Rep. Rogers (R-Saks) wrote to Austin. “The Department is a robust institution, and it is designed to function under attack by our enemies, but it is not designed for a Secretary who conceals being incapacitated.”

In his letter to Deputy Secretary Hicks, Chairman Rogers wrote, “It is vitally important for the President, high-level Administration officials, Department leadership, and Congress to be fully and properly informed of a department head’s ability to perform his appointed job and responsibility of leading the nation’s ability to defend itself. It is mind boggling that the Commander in Chief, was not aware of the location or operational competence of the Secretary of Defense.”

RELATED: Mike Rogers confronts Pentagon secrecy surrounding Sec. Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization

In the letter to Secretary Austin’s Chief of Staff Kelly Magsamen, Chairman Rogers wrote:

“As Chief of Staff to Secretary Austin, you are ‘responsible for leading the Secretary of Defense’s executive staff and providing counsel and advice to the Secretary on all matters concerning the Department [of Defense].’ It appears you, as the Secretary’s chief of staff, were not made aware until January 2, 2024, of the Secretary’s hospitalization and incapacitation, the day after he was reportedly ‘rushed by ambulance to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.’ According to press reports, you ‘said nothing to White House officials, awaiting updates on the secretary’s medical condition,’ and failed to ‘notify the White House until two days later,’ including the National Security Advisor to the President of the United States.”

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks was not aware of the hospitalization until January 4, the same day that President Joseph R. Biden was informed. The President was not informed that Austin had cancer until a phone call from Austin on Tuesday just before the public was informed, according to the White House.

Sec. Austin is a native of Mobile, Alabama, a graduate of Auburn University, and a retired four-star U.S. Army general.

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