US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel Resigns Monday Nov 24,2014

 

Under pressure from President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel submitted his resignation Monday Nov 24,2014 amid White House concerns about his effectiveness and broader criticism from outside about the administration's Middle East crisis management.

US President Barack Obama said he and Hagel had determined it was an "appropriate time for him to complete his service."

Hagel, a former Republican senator, is the first high-level member of Obama's national security team to step down in the wake of both a disastrous midterm election for the president's party and persistent criticism about the administration's policies in the Middle East and elsewhere. It's unclear whether Hagel's forced resignation signals the start of a broader shake-up of the president's team