Obama Set to Appoint Hagel Defense Secretary
Baku, January 7 (AZERTAC). President Obama is expected to nominate former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel as the next Defense Secretary, sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The nomination is likely to occur early next week, other sources told CNN.
The White House told some senior members of Congress to expect the tapping of Hagel, according to a knowledgeable source. Another source with knowledge of the nomination called it “locked down.”
Some in the defence industry were told to expect the Hagel nomination as early as Monday, one source with knowledge of the discussions told CNN.
A Republican, Hagel represented the state of Nebraska in the US Senate from 1997 until January 3, 2009 when he retired.
The White House has previously said that the president has made no final decisions. One source told CNN Thursday that the president was “mulling” over appointments in Hawaii this week.
A White House source told CNN's Wolf Blitzer the president “has not offered the job to anyone.”
In an interview that aired on NBC December 30, Obama allowed he had not then made a decision on who to nominate, but said in making the choice his “number one criteria will be who`s going to do the best job in helping to secure America.”
“I`ve served with Chuck Hagel. I know him. He is a patriot, “Obama said on “Meet the Press. “He is somebody who has done extraordinary work both in the United States Senate. Somebody who served this country with valor in Vietnam. And is somebody who`s currently serving on my Intelligence Advisory Board and doing an outstanding job.”
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