Obama officially nominates Ashton Carter for defense secretary

Obama officially nominates Ashton Carter for defense secretary
(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

President Obama officially nominated former Pentagon official Ashton Carter as his pick for defense secretary today, replacing Chuck Hagel. Carter, who has a degree in physics from Yale, has served in a number of roles at the Defense Department, mostly focusing on things like budget and military acquisitions. Carter called the nomination an "honor and a privilege"

The White House had wanted Hagel to hold off on publicizing his departure until Obama had picked his successor, and Hagel refused, CNN reported Tuesday. But on Thursday, Hagel waved off discord with the president, saying there were "no major differences" that led to his resignation. --Peter Weber

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.