Thirty-four percent (34%) of likely US voters believe that Austin should resign, the poll report said. A plurality of respondents, 46%, think Austin should stay in his role and 20% are unsure, the poll report said.
Austin was hospitalized in early January due to an infection, following cancer surgery in late December. The US Defense Department failed to communicate Austin’s hospitalization to the White House for several days, prompting a Pentagon Inspector General probe and bipartisan calls for him to leave his leadership position.
One of Austin’s aides told emergency dispatchers to arrive without lights or sirens in an attempt to "remain a little subtle," US media reported on Tuesday, citing 911 call transcripts.
The poll surveyed 1,077 likely US voters on January 10-11 and 14. The poll maintains a margin of error of plus-or-minus three percentage points with a 95% confidence level.