Meet the Man Expected to Replace Chuck Hagel
President Barack Obama is set to nominate a Pentagon executive to replace outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.
Ashton Carter previously served under Hagel as the No. 2 man at the Pentagon.
Unlike many defense secretaries before him, Carter has never served in the military or in Congress. But he is well-respected at the Pentagon and he is respected by many leading Republicans as well as Democrats.
The Pentagon transition comes as the United States faces difficult decisions about fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
Other tough issues include:
- Russia's continued provocations in Ukraine,
- Tensions between the White House and Defense Department over closing the detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,
- Concerns at the Pentagon over the impact of deep spending cuts.
Conservatives warn that Carter has to be able to deal with the White House's habit of trying micromanage the Pentagon, rather than letting the people there have the authority they need to run defense policy.
