The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has concluded a 30-day review concerning Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization in January. The incident sparked criticism towards President Joe Biden, Congress, and Pentagon officials for their lack of awareness about Austin's treatment for prostate cancer during his hospital stay.

Despite the controversy, Biden firmly stated that he would not dismiss Austin for failing to report his hospitalization. At a DOD press conference, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder announced the initiation of a memorandum of understanding that will enable them to manage such situations in the future by transferring DOD leadership from the secretary to the deputy secretary or another DOD official. During Austin's hospitalization, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks assumed his duties.

Ryder said, "The review found that the deputy secretary was at all times positioned to perform all the functions and duties of the secretary of defense during the period of transfer from January 2-5, 2024." He added that several processes and procedural improvements were identified during this review.

According to a news release, Austin's chief of staff ordered the DOD's director of administration and management to initiate a 30-day review regarding the department's notification process should a similar situation occur in the future. While full details remain classified, a press conference was held to provide media with an overview of the review. In his memorandum, Austin stated that this policy will be implemented within three months.

Austin wrote in his memorandum, "All of these actions demonstrate our deep commitment to strengthening our internal processes without delay." He continued by saying, "As I have repeatedly stated, we are a learning organization, and we will continue to strengthen our processes as we identify ways to improve upon our existing procedures."