Defense Secretary Hagel hands in resignation

November 24, 2014

By Phil Heidenreich

Washington, D.C.:

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, President Obama's only Republican cabinet members submitted his resignation under reported pressure from the president. Administration officials claimed Obama requested his resignation under the belief that the conflict with ISIS would need a different skill set than Hagel brought to the office. Some believe forcing Hagel out was the president's response to publicly perceived weakness in the face of national security issues like the Ebola outbreak and the ISIS threat. Hagel will remain in office until his successor is confirmed.

Hagel took office in 2013 expecting to serve out the term with the administration, according to his aides. He and the president first worked together in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Possible noted replacements included former high-level Defense Department officials Michele Flournoy and Ashton B. Carter, as well as Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), though no official decisions as to Hagel's successor have been made. Whoever the president's choice is, they will likely face a rocky road to confirmation after the Republican Party takes control of the Senate for the 114th Congress. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) already argued that the chamber should block all nominees in reaction to Obama's executive order on immigration.

United States Attorney General Eric Holder already announced his plans for resignation from President Barack Obama's cabinet on September 25, 2014. President Obama nominated Loretta Lynch as the next U.S. Attorney General on November 9, 2014. Lynch currently serves as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

See also

• Chuck Hagel
• Barack Obama
• U.S. Department of Defense
• Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)
• Loretta Lynch
• Eric Holder
• Appointment confirmation process