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Obama to Select Hagel for Defense Post Obama to Select Hagel for Defense Post
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President Obama has selected a former Nebraska senator, Chuck Hagel, as his next defense secretary, a White House official said Sunday, turning to a prominent Republican to lead the Pentagon as it faces of the challenge of winding down the war in Afghanistan and possible reductions in military spending.President Obama has selected a former Nebraska senator, Chuck Hagel, as his next defense secretary, a White House official said Sunday, turning to a prominent Republican to lead the Pentagon as it faces of the challenge of winding down the war in Afghanistan and possible reductions in military spending.
But the nomination, which could come as early as Monday, is already encountering opposition from Republicans and Democrats alike because of Mr. Hagel’s stand on Israel and his comments about an ambassador who was gay. But the nomination, which could come as early as Monday, has already encountered stiff opposition from Republicans and Democrats alike because of Mr. Hagel’s views on Israel and Iran, and his comments about an ambassador who is gay.
Republicans, in particular, have question his stance on Israel. Republicans, in particular, have raised objections to statements by Mr. Hagel that they have described as dismissive of Israel and soft on Iran. Mr. Hagel once described pro-Israel lobbying groups as the “Jewish lobby.” He has insisted that he is a strong supporter of Israel.
Speaking on Sunday talk shows, several Republican senators indicated that, should he be nominated, a stormy confirmation process was all but inevitable.
“His views with regard to Israel, for example, and Iran and all the other positions that he’s taken over the years will be very much a matter of discussion in the confirmation process,” Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader in the Senate, said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”“His views with regard to Israel, for example, and Iran and all the other positions that he’s taken over the years will be very much a matter of discussion in the confirmation process,” Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader in the Senate, said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Still, Mr. McConnell said he had not decided whether he would support Mr. Hagel. “I think there will be a lot of tough questions for Senator Hagel, but he will be treated fairly by Republicans in the Senate,” Mr. McConnell said. Mr. McConnell said he had not decided whether he would support Mr. Hagel. “I think there will be a lot of tough questions for Senator Hagel, but he will be treated fairly by Republicans in the Senate,” he said.
Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, said Sunday that he personally liked Mr. Hagel, but that he was “out of the mainstream of thinking on most issues regarding foreign policy.” Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that he personally liked Mr. Hagel, but that he was “out of the mainstream of thinking on most issues regarding foreign policy.”
“This is an in-your-face nomination of the president to all of us who are supportive of Israel,” Mr. Graham said on CNN. “I don’t know what his management experience is in regards to the Pentagon or global if anyway, so I think it’s an extremely controversial choice.” “This is an in-your-face nomination of the president to all of us who are supportive of Israel,” Mr. Graham said. “I don’t know what his management experience is regarding the Pentagon — little if any — so I think it’s an extremely controversial choice.”
The president has praised Mr. Hagel, a Vietnam veteran, as a “patriot,” saying nothing in his record would prevent him from serving as defense secretary. Those sentiments were echoed by Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, who said Mr. Obama was being overly dismissive of criticism about Mr. Hagel.
Mr. Hagel has provoked ire among conservatives and some Jewish groups by describing pro-Israel lobbying groups as the “Jewish lobby.” “I think this is a president right now who has drunk the tea,” Mr. Cruz said on “Fox News Sunday.” “He is feeling very good about himself; he is feeling like there can be no opposition to his position. And so, it doesn’t seem — he doesn’t seem terribly concerned that there’s not a lot of support for Chuck Hagel in the Senate.”
He has also come under fire for saying 14 years ago that President Bill Clinton’s nominee for ambassador to Luxembourg, James C. Hormel, was not qualified because he was “openly, aggressively gay.” He has since apologized. Mr. Cruz said would probably vote against Mr. Hagel’s confirmation.

Peter Baker, David E. Sanger and Mark Landler contributed reporting.

Coming confirmation battles for Mr. Hagel and other cabinet appointees will most likely open a new schism between the White House and Congress. Fierce Republican resistance has already derailed the candidacy of one cabinet nominee. Susan E. Rice, the ambassador to the United Nations, withdrew her name from consideration for secretary of state after lawmakers threatened to disrupt her nomination over statements made about the death of the American ambassador in Benghazi, Libya.
Mr. Obama instead nominated Senator John Kerry to succeed Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” Heidi Heitkamp, the newly elected Democratic senator from North Dakota, criticized the rancor surrounding Mr. Hagel’s nomination, calling it symptomatic of Washington gridlock.
“This kind of fight is the fight that the people of this country get so frustrated about and with,” Ms. Heitkamp said. “Let Chuck Hagel get nominated, if he’s going to be nominated, and let’s hear what the senator has to say.”
Mr. Hagel’s candidacy has also raised questions among some liberal groups because of a statement he made 14 years ago about President Bill Clinton’s nominee for ambassador to Luxembourg, James C. Hormel. Mr. Hormel, he said, was not qualified because he was “openly, aggressively gay.” Mr. Hagel has since apologized.
The president has praised Mr. Hagel, a Vietnam veteran, as a “patriot,” saying nothing in his record would prevent him from serving as defense secretary. Whatever the criticism of Mr. Hagel’s views on Israel, perhaps his most pressing concern if confirmed as defense secretary will be the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. This week, Mr. Obama is expected to meet with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan to discuss the withdrawal set to begin in 2014.
Mr. Hagel has indicated that he would be comfortable with quickly drawing down the remaining 66,000 troops as Pentagon officials say the White House desires.

Peter Baker, David E. Sanger and Mark Landler contributed reporting from Washington.