President Obama will announce on Friday morning whom he has selected as his nominee to become the next secretary of defense, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters on Thursday.
Earnest did not say who the nominee will be, but several media outlets have reported Obama has selected Ash Carter to replace current Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.
Although Carter has not been officially named as the nominee, Republican lawmakers have said they respect him but question how effective he could be as the next Pentagon chief given media reports that the White House has taken over responsibility for running the Defense Department.
"I hope that whoever gets the job has an understanding that he or she is going to do what's best and not be micromanaged from the White House," incoming House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Calif., told reporters on Tuesday. "He knows the Pentagon. He certainly knows some of the acquisition issues I've been dealing with. So, we'll see."
The Pentagon's spokesman recently disputed media reports about tension between Hagel and National Security Adviser Susan Rice.
"The secretary has a close professional relationship with Susan Rice, the national security advisor, as you would think he would as secretary of defense," Rear Adm. John Kirby told reporters at a Nov. 25 news conference. "There's not an issue of micromanagement from any other place outside the building, you know. It's not about micromanaging." ■
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
