chuck hagel set to design. the president set to announce it at 11: 10 eastern time at the white house. we'll be right back. h? the equipment tracking system will get you to the loading dock. ♪ there should be a truck leaving now. i got it. now jump off the bridge. what? in 3...2...1... are you kidding me? go. right on time. right now, over 20,000 trains are running reliably. we call that predictable. thrillingly predictable. ♪ music ♪ the volkswagen golf was just named motor trend's 2015 car of the year. so was the 100% electric e-golf, and the 45 highway mpg tdi clean diesel. and last but not least the high performance gti. looks like we're gonna need a bigger podium. the volkswagen golf family. motor trend's 2015 "cars" of the year. following marge blacking news. nbc news confirmed the secretary chuck hagel is stepping down. joining me now is chuck todd. good morning. >> good morning, jose. unexpected for many but apparently secretary hagel wanted to stay on the job for the reminder of the two years but

we're talking about chuck hagel. he's leaving his post as the defense secretary of the united states. sources telling cnn hagel is being pushed out after less than two years on the job. the white house is insisting the decision is mutual. we're covering the story from all angles. our barbara starr has the latest information from the pentagon. jim acosta is joining us from the white house. our chief national security correspondent jim sciutto is joining us. he's in vienna, austria, right now covering the u.s./iranian nuclear talks. we're standing by for our chief international correspondent christiane amanpour. jim, you're working your sources over there. a lot of sensitivity, the president will presumably down play this notion that hagel is being forced out, pushed out. what are you hearing? >> i'm hearing from defense officials that this was mutual. that's a consistent line. i know that others are hearing he was pushed out and, to be frank, there had been talk of dissatisfaction from the white house with secretary h

what happened to chuck hagel? >> three things happened to chuck hagel. one, there was a midterm election in which the president's party did badly and anxiety about the national security strategy was seen to be a big piece of that. second chuck hagel was the victim, fairly or unfairly, of lots of whispers and chatter about unhappiness at the pentagon with his performance. and third, chuck hagel was clearly a meshed as yo you are intro said some nasty fighting among was net members, which is also a washington ritual. you get those three things together. it looks convenient and helpful politically, sim bot i can to maksymbol i think tomake a chanr people if the white house and pentagon had been want to go seeing aal go for a while. >> david, the things leaking out from sources named and unnamed have to do with things that you often hear with these kind of big scalps being taken. micro management from the white house. interference, lack of access to the president. and so on and so on. what do you see happening that doomed chuck hagel? >> well, i agree with h

who are the potential successors to chuck hagel? >> he's got to look at people who have served in the department previously. stand a decent chance of being confirmed relatively easily because they've served before. one of the names is ashton carter, deputy secretary of defense. he was bypassed in favor of chuck hagel. someone who has respect from both sides of the aisle. a lot of bloomberg folks know him because he was the chief weapons buyer at the pentagon for several years. the other name is michele flournoy, she was director of policy and she stepped down as under secretary a couple months back. her name has been mentioned as someone who is close to the president and close to the white house decision-makers on national security. in that sense, she would be closer to the inner circle then chuck hagel was ever able to reach. you will see other names as well. consider confirmation being one of the bigger challenges given the limited time remaining in congress and republicans taking control in january. >> no question it should be ea

>> chuck hagel has been no ordinary secretary of defense. thanks to chuck, our military is on a firmer foot engaged in the missions and looking ahead to the future. >> i submitted my resignation as secretary of defense. it has been the greatest privilege of my life and the greatest privilege of my to lead and most important to serve. >> breaking news from washington. chuck hagel, the republican senator of the obama administration fighting to get confirmed is out as head of the pentagon. the so-called resignation with the white house pressuring him out. the chief pentagon correspondent. the drama here and also msnbc analyst jack jacobs joining us. a fellow of vietnam veteran. mick, first to you. obviously difficulties with the white house and working with the nsc and a lot of conflict. the resignation. why now? >> as you suggested, some officials here at the pentagon. they had the meetings over several weeks and hagel's idea. i'm told that in fact as you mentioned thatag

there were those, that tension between superrice and chuck hagel -- susan rice and chuck hagel that came out through the press. again, we'll get more details as the day goes on, but there have been rumors to this effect for several weeks, especially, excuse me, in light of the election results. martha: yeah. very interesting. so, jennifer, you know, as soon as this news gets absorbed, the next question, of course, is going to be who the president will choose for the next secretary of defense. during this speculation that you talk about, has there been discussion about possible names? >> well, there have been names batted around for some time. in fact, one name that comes to mind without any -- this is not based on any, any official sources, but the one name that repeatedly comes up is michelle nor now. -- flournoy, assistant secretary of defense for policy under robert gates and leon panetta. she would be the first female secretary of defense. that could be an interesting choice. she has been a very firm, outspoken former administration official talking about how more needs to be done in

but chuck hagel has been no ordinary secretary of defense. the first, veteran to serve in that position. he understands our men and women like few others because he stood where they stood, he has been in the dirt and he has been in the mud and that has established a special bond. he sees himself in them and they see themselves in him and their safety, their lives have always been at the center of chuck's service. when i asked chuck to serve as century of defense, we were entering a significant period of transition. draw down in afghanistan, the need to prepare our forces for future missions as tough fiscal choices to keep the military strong and ready. nearly two years chuck has been an exemplary defense secretary providing a steady hand as we modernize our strategy and budget to meet long-term threats while still responding to the media's challenges like isil and ebola. we are on a firm footing engaged in these issues and looking forward to the future. last month chuck came to me to discuss the final quarter of my presidency and determine ha

coming from the new york times, the defense secretary chuck hagel is out. apparently he is stepping down. as you know, hagel most recently criticized the obama administration on syria. he said the strategy there needed to include the syrian government as well. he also testified before congress recently on, you know, perhaps we need ground troops to fight isis. don't know if any of this has to do with the stepping down, we just got this word, defense secretary chuck hagel stepping down as defense secretary. just took office in 2013. we have general mark hurdling on our beeper line, are you there? >> i am here. >> general, are you there? >> i am here, carol, how are you? >> oh. i'm good, i'm just kind of stun fwhid news that chuck hagel is stepping down, how about you? >> well, it actually does stun me a little bit too. it's surprising giving some of the things that are going on

how big is the bureaucracy that chuck hagel ran? >> well, running the pentagon is an enormously huge bureaucracy. in fact, it's impossible for one person to actually know what's going on with the 1.4 million people in active service. just the pentagon building itself has more than 20,000 employees with different services all going in different directions. defense secretary donald rumsfeld, who was also sacked by the president wit within two years to go in his administration, president bush in that case, rumsfeld would get up every morning and know that somewhere in the pentagon someone was doing something that she shouldn't, and he had no way to know who that is. it's like trying to turn an aircraft carrier around, and it's not easily done. and especially if you're not there for a long time. secretary hagels time, less than two years, not enough time to effect any institutional change. >> let's go to the politics now mike viqueira, mike, as always when there is a cabinet secretary that steps down or is replaced somebody is celebrati

chuck hagel was fired. those are tough words that you don't so here too often when people leave or step down in washington. >> reporter: that's right. critics are saying chuck hagel was a republican and becoming a scapegoat for the midterm election losses or did the president feel right now he needs to make a change? he has two years left in office. and we talk about the national security crisis and if there was tension we would hear about it with susan rice and others. the president can bring in a now team and get a fresh start here. there is a lot of challenges that he is facing. >> ed, thank you. >> for more on this we'll bring in tom bevin executive editor of role feel politics. the election is over and the president got badly spanked. what does firing chuck hagel do? >> good question, i don't know. we'll have to see. the question is whether it is a change in policy as ed mentioned. the word from the white house was to the new york times was that they admitted that you know, what hagel was brought in to

we're talking about chuck hagel. he's leaving his post as the defense secretary of the united states. sources telling cnn hagel is being pushed out after less than two years on the job. the white house is insisting the decision is mutual. we're covering the story from all angles. our barbara starr has the latest information from the pentagon. jim acosta is joining us from the white house. our chief national security correspondent jim sciutto is joining us. he's in vienna, austria, right now covering the u.s./iranian nuclear talks. we're standing by for our chief international correspondent christiane amanpour. jim, you're working your sources over there. a lot of

chuck hagel accompanied me. rare at a time when sometimes we stand so politicised to have a friend accompany a ing to nominee from a different party. what was most important was we t we were unified when confronted the chances that we faced overseas. has class and integrity, which chuck cale has always presented. you are blessed with your family and your friends. i want to thank your wife, your son and your daughter for the sacrifices they have made as well. i know they are equally excited to get that husband and father back. i'm sure a final beer to cheer them more often. today the united states of claim the most powerful military force in the world. the result of the character and them, of those who lead sergeant a young army to act as our latest sector defence. thank you, chuck. [applause] >> thank you very much. mr president, thank you for your generous words your friendship and your support. would i have always valued and value until nue to my long-time. vice president, joe biden who i have always admired a

and once we begin with the president and his announcement of the resignation of chuck hagel. >> chuck hagel discuss the final quarter of my president he and determined it was an appropriate time for him to complete his service. >> as the president noted, today i have submitted my resignation. it has been the greatest privilege of my life to lead, and to serve with the men and women of the defense department and support their families. i am proud of what we have accomplished. we has prepared ourselves, for the successful transition in afghanistan. we have bolstered enduring alliances and strengthened emerging partnerships. >> i interviewed chuck hagel last week. i talked about rumors about changes in his national security team. maybe he wants to change his national security advisor, his secretary of defense. maybe he wants to change other elements. is that true? >> you would have to ask the president. >> you concern yourself with it? >> i serve at the pleasure of the president. i am grateful for the opportunity i had the last two years to work for the country and the men and women who

the defense secretary, chuck hagel stepping down. the president expected to make a formal announcement in about an hour and a half. of course if the president makes a live announcement, we'll dear life right here on cnn. i'll be right back. big day? ah, the usual. moved some new cars. hauled a bunch of steel. kept the supermarket shelves stocked. made sure everyone got their latest gadgets. what's up for the next shift? ah, nothing much. just keeping the lights on. (laugh) nice. doing the big things that move an economy. see you tomorrow, mac. see you tomorrow, sam. just another day at norfolk southern. uright now when you get a new tdata plan th a tablet on us! you can also get our most popular 7 inch tablet. but only for a limited time. >>> this is cnn breaking news. >>> and if you're just joining us again, that breaking news, the defense secretary chuck hagel is stepping down from his post at the request of president obama. there's been some stress between the two men over policies in syria, and how the united states is waging the

chuck hagel -- >> i'll interrupt here. we have the president. >> about a year ago secretary of defense chuck hagel was visiting our troops in the republic of korea thanking them for their service and answering their questions, and they asked about the usual topics, about our national security, the future of our military, and then one soldier, a sergeant from ohio, asked him what was the most pertinent question of the day, which is what was your favorite college football team, to which chuck replied, born and raised in nebraska, i don't have a choice, i am a strong cornhusker's fan. now, there was a time when an enlisted soldier might have been reluctant to ask that kind of question of the secretary of defense, but chuck hagel has been no ordinary secretary of defense. the first enlisted combat veteran to serve in that position. he understands our men and women like few others because he stood where they've stood. he's been in the dirt and he's been in the mud, and that's established a special bond. he sees himself in them,

he goes on to thank and praise chuck hagel. he was brought in to drawdown from afghanistan and iran to manage the budget. we have the confirmation that the combat mission in certain circumstances is extended in afghanistan and the so-called advisers are on the ground in iraq. this is a different scenario. >> it will be a challenging scenario and after all with the u.s. doubling the forces in iraq to take on isis as well as in syria. no troops there. the battle wages on with air strikes. now we are hearing that the drawdown in afghanistan, the forces will be drawn down. the mission in taking not only on al qaeda and other terrorists, but they could still fight the taliban on the ground there in afghanistan. combine that with what you were talking about, the budget sequestration and automatic across the board cuts. there people in this building who felt that sec te secretary was not up to the task. >> joining me now for more on chuck hagel's resignation. contributor and editor at large at the atlantic who knows this issue and kno

tonight we know, attorney general chuck hagel is out. u.s. officials are saying anonymously that he was fired. we have fox team coverage on that. brit hume with what the decision means for the white house. >> reporter: everyone tried to put a happy face on this move today, but administration insiders tell me and our own jennifer griffin at the pentagon, make no mistake about it, this was a firing. >> i consider myself extraordinarily lucky to have had him by my side. >> reporter: president obama went on for so long about chuck hagel's sterling credentials as defense secretary, he tried to push the idea that he resigned on his own. >> last month chuck came to discuss with me the final quarter of my presidency and determined that having guided the department through this transition, it was an appropriate time for him to complete liz service. let me just say that chuck is and has been a great friend of mine. >> reporter: hagel went out of his way to say vice president biten was a dear friend and noted that beth the president and the secretary le

defense secretary chuck hagel is stepping down after less than two years in his job. speculation turns to who will succeed him. >> when it's mattered most, behind closed doors, in the oval office, he's always given me strength. for that i will always be grateful. >> and we've got a special report on the american forces who are training african soldiers in the hunt for a notorious warlord. >> welcome to our viewers on public television here in america and also around the globe. the lawyers to for the family of michael brown, the black teenager who was shot dead by a white police officer in missouri in august, say the grand jury investigating the case has now reached a verlander. it was asked to consider whether to bring charges against the policeman. the shooting sparked waves of violent protests in the town of furgsone -- ferguson. for dent obama has asked calm. >> it was on this housing estate in the town of ferguson that 18-year-old michael brown was killed. he'd been challenged by police while walking in the middle of the road and was then shot six times. these pic

almost none of that can you blame on chuck hagel. but it happened on his watch. >> rose: and therefore the last question is, who is likely to replace or succeed chuck hagel? >> well, the name on everybody's list is michelle fornoway who was the undersecretary of defense for policy which is the number three job in the building earlier in the obama administration. she's highly regarded by everyone. she has a family. and children. and so she-- she left and to take a job that was-- had a little more reasonable time demands. and so now she is on everybody's list. she would be the first woman to be secretary of defense. but look, you're talking about somebody who has a life in the civilian world and you're asking them to give that up for the final two years of the administration when almost everything is already set in stone. so that's a big ask of anyone. and then you have to look at the call ep der and realize that the confirmation hearings are probably not going to start until next year which means john mccain will be chairman of the se

hagel coming in are never allowed to really quite do their jobs so i feel horribly for chuck hagel, i think he got a raw deal here. >> i did that in my take, all right president, david, now, make the decision of bringing somebody in who will get the job done. he wants to degrade and destroy isis. really? >> this administration is more clueless than we thought if they think the midterm leighs were the result of bad policy by chuck hagel. what this is schizophrenic governing. three days ago, we'd white house decide to increase forces in afghanistan with what everybody has said was a win by the pentagon. three days later, we fire the secretary of defense who arguably advocated for that policy as the one supposed to implement it this is the fourth defense secretary in six years for this president. he finally needs to go get a dove be the defense secretary, that is what he wants, he wants someone that wants to pull us out of everywhere. >> what do you think of that, julie, obviously,, isis airport going away. >> i have to go back to partially agree with what david just said, i have to go

defense secretary chuck hagel riens. resigns. devastating floods in mor moroc, and more rain coming. >>> paintings hoarded by the son of adolph hitler's soldiers, headed to an art museum. >> no one's walk away just yet from vienna, in fact they all said they have made progress towards an agreement on iran's nuclear program and they have extended the deadline until july the 1st. within the last few minutes, iran's minister hasan rouhani says the sides have gotten closer. the five powers plus germany and russia. agree. >> we are not sitting at the table together absent measurable progress. but particularly in the last few days this is not certainly the time to get up and walk away. these issues are enormously complex. they require a lot of tough political decisions. and they require very rigorous technical analysis of concepts. today, iran has halted progress on its nuclear program. and it has rolled it back for the first time in a decade. a year ago, iran had about 200 kilograms of 20% enriched ur uranium in a form that could be e

first of all, i admire chuck hagel. familyup in a military and my two sons were officers, and i admire chuck, number one. number two, if you would allow me, i would like to ask your guest and you your opinion on the following -- my concern, as thatyear-old man, is this, and theheads on tv people they put on to express we have -- i realize freedom of speech and freedom of you cannot yell fire in a crowded theater and get away with it. i am not too sure that the press has the right -- well, they have the responsibility to not do some of the things they are doing. this is my opinion. i guess my question is this -- should we all just shut up and go to work a little bit of time during the day and not give our opinions? i had a double amputation of a , and iover a year ago have been watching you all since then, as the lady says about the folks cooking the soup. do you all think that we should opinions ando many let the american people get the news and develop their own opinions about chuck. let's let's let -- host: let andrew

host: secretary chuck hagel spoke after the president made the announcement, and here is what chuck hagel had to say about his accomplishments during his time at the pentagon. [video clip] >> i am immensely proud of what we have accomplished during this time. as the president has noted, our allies and the afghan security forces have a successful transition in afghanistan. we have bolstered enduring alliances and strengthened emerging partnerships while successfully responding to crises around the world. and we have launched important reforms that the president noted, reforms that will prepare this institution for challenges facing us decades to come. i believe we have set not this department, the department of defense, but the nation on a stronger course for security, stability, and prosperity. if i did not believe that, i would not have done this job. of[end of video clip] host: here is something from john mccain, a former colleague in the senate. he said, i know chuck was frustrated with the national security and the process, and the president spoke of excessive micromanagement and how

half of iraq none of that can be blamed on chuck hagel. it happened on his watch. >> who is likely to replace or succeed chuck hagel? >> the name on everybody's list is michele flournoy, the undersecretary of defense for policy, the number three job in the building earlier in the obama administration. she is highly regarded. she has a family, and children. job that hadake a a more reasonable time demand. she is on everybody's list. she would be the first woman to be secretary of defense. you are talking about somebody who has a life in the civilian world and asking them to give that up for the final two years of the administration, when everything is already set in stone. that is a big ask of anyone. then you have to look at the calendar and realize the confirmation hearings are probably not going to start until next year, which means john mccain will be chairman of the senate armed services committee. that could be a different ballgame. >> anybody else on the list? hisou have to throw in deputy, there are people who go around in previous

defense secretary chuck hagel. the former republican senator has been in the job for less than two years. , he has chosen to oversee a shift for a peacetime military. with new challenges include using -- new challenges include using -- including the rise of an islamic state -- >> he joined obama the white house to confirm his departure. >> the white house is painting the resignation as a mutual decision. president obama had nothing but praise for the defense secretary , who has seen the americans pullout from afghanistan, as well as rick -- as well as internal reforms. >> he is the first enlisted combat veteran to serve in that position. he understands men and women like few others because he stood where they stood. he has been in the dirt and in the mud. 14 of years he has been an exemplary defense secretary. >> why now? u.s. media is suspecting hackel was forced out and obama wants to shake things up. henkel serves at the pleasure of the president. >> it is a team effort. that is the part of the front of it. >> h

chuck hagel. when it came time to fight i.s.i.l., the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff convinced the president, not his scrtry of defense. he was called the jb team. soon after chuck hagel came out and said they were an imminent threat to united states. they haven't been on the same message. secretary chuck hagel taking the blame for that, the bad polls and will be leaving washington. >> out of step with the president. what about with the military. often there's tension between the political arm of government and the military. >> especially when it comes to this administration. we have seen self times where the president and his people were not on the same page with the military commanders. he's popular with the enlisted troop, he was enlisted. he was brought in to cut the budget. obviously that is an unpopular thing to do. i think this basically boils down not necessarily his relationship to anyone in the pentagon, but his relationship with the president. >> stay with us, if you will. we'll

defense secretary chuck hagel has resigned. the former republican senator has been pentagon chief since early last year. the u.s. president obama said that chuck hagel will remain in post until his successor is nominator. >> let me just say that chuck is and has been a great friend of mine. i've known him, admired him and trusted him for nearly a decade since i was a green behind the ears freshman center, and we were both on the senate foreign relations committee. if there is one thing that i know about chuck, he does not make this ordain decision lightly. this decision does not come easily to him, but i find myself extraordinarily lucky to have him by my side for two years, and i'm grateful to have chuck stay on until a nominate a successor and that successor is agreed by the senate. he'll continue to lead our troops at this time. >> his accomplishments as defense secretary. >> we have prepared ourselves as the president has noted, our allies, and afghan national security forces for successful transition in afghanistan. we bol

chuck hagel is being forced to step down. news 4's angie growth is at the live desk. >> we are just minutes away from president obama officially announcing that defense secretary chuck hagel will resign. we are hearing confirmation to nbc news that, that hagel is being forced out. sources saying the white house has lost confidence in hagel to do the job when it comes to addressing big global issues. one of them being the threat of isis. also hearing the combat veteran has been in talks about leaving the post for weeks. as for a successor, the decision we hear will be made quickly but hagel will stay on the job until a replacement is confirmed. the president is expected to speak in less than ten. we will bring it to you. >> there is more news. just as angie mentioned, the president is going to speak about this announcement, and we'll bring it to you live. >>> this morning, the district is remembering marion barry. flags are flying at half-staff. d.c. leaders are preparing a memorial service for the former mayor. we've not lear

president obama relied on chuck hagel and then outgrew chuck hagel. stuart: this is the third defense secretary that the president has gone through. now, he is fired. i have 20 seconds left. tell me who replaces chuck hagel. >> the first woman secretary of defense. it will give president obama the ability to say he promoted and hired the first woman. she is an interesting choice. stuart: we really want the best person for the job as opposed to a politically correct person. thank you for joining us. it is good to be with you on a day like this. no impact on the markets at all. this is not a financial issue. much more ahead for you. a message for the companies ceos. you are not the job creators, he says. saturday night live's take on president obama. watch this. [inaudible] stuart: i will call this a dead flat market. that is accurate. we are down. intel, it is getting what we call a bearings bounce. oil, roughly about 40 low. seventy-five-$80 a barrel. it is down. that means lower gas prices. the price for regular, the average nationwide is $2.81. the

and they haven't had that person in place in chuck hagel. as good as he was as other things, particularly personnel matters, there hasn't been anyone at the pentagon to do that strategic work. general dempsey has done what he can to articulate but he's kind of cam hamstrung in pushing that strategy out. >> mark, in materials of foreign policy, national security, isis, afghanistan, syria, et cetera, dave outlines correctly, both of our previously announced strategy hasn't been efficacious do you think there will be a shift 1234. >> i think the strategy has to come from the white house, from the president. and so, you know, president obama got beat up over the summer when he said we don't have a syria or isis strategy, which i think unfairly in that case he was beat up. but there is this broader question of what is their vision for the next couple years. i mean, it's not -- it was not chuck hagel's job to come up with that. he could have probably articulated it better but clearly there are issues with the white house, with the team at the whit

first of all, i admire chuck hagel. familyup in a military and my two sons were officers, and i admire chuck, number one. number two, if you would allow me, i would like to ask your guest and you your opinion on the following -- my concern, as thatyear-old man, is this, and theheads on tv people they put on to express we have -- i realize freedom of speech and freedom of you cannot yell fire in a crowded theater and get away with it. i am not too sure that the press has the right -- well, they have the responsibility to not do some of the things they are doing. this is my opinion. i guess my question is this -- should we all just shut up and go to work a little bit of time during the day and not give our opinions? i had a double amputation of a , and iover a year ago have been watching you all since then, as the lady says about the folks cooking the soup. do you all think that we should opinions ando many let the american people get the news and develop their own opinions about chuck. let's let's let -- host: let andrew

chuck hagel, secretary of defense, will announce that he is resigning today. the early indications that the president will make that official a bit later this afternoon. martha: "the new york times" reported that he was pressured by inside the administration to step down. there's a lot of discussion after the huge gop wave election that some heads might roll within the administration. the president indicated that he didn't think that was necessarily going to be the case, but now we are learning that the resignation is coming today or has come today. you know, when you look back at this situation, you think about the things that chuck hagel as defense secretary and dempsey, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, have said about the battle against isis, both have said there could come a point when they might have to put boots on the ground or that they would ask the president for boots on the ground, and it appears that hagel may be taking the fall for some of the missteps with isis up to this point. we're going to get more information from the administratio

chuck hagel was, in essence, fired. the issue the fight against i.s.i.l. >> he wants to projected a stronger face of the administration with regard to overseas threats. i don't think he felt that secretary hagel was the man to do that. >> reporter: the recent elections sent the message that americans are not happy with foreign policy and don't thing a strategy to combat i.s.i.l. will work. analysts don't expect his policy to chang. change he wanted to minimise involvement and hopes that good options will appear with a new secretary of defense. my own view is that is not going to happen unless the white house is willing to see america do more. >> reporter: when secretary hagel took the job, the main goal underwind the war in afghanistan and shrink the budget. that has changed. the main focus has to be defeating i.s.i.l., and someone else will be better prepared to do that. on the way out hagel defended his leadership. >> i believe we set not only this department, the department of defense and the nation on a stronger cou

chuck hagel is out after his 20 months after the pentagon. is he the fall guy for the white house's failed foreign policy? plus, nuclear negotiations are extended again, giving iran seven more months to build a bomb and from national security setbacks to his go it alone government, is president obama hurting hillary clinton's chances in 2016? >>> welcome to the journal editorial report. defense secretary chuck hagel resigned after swrus 20 months, reportedly pushed out by president obama. in a move that further consolidates national security decision making in the white house. and raises questions about the direction of the administration's foreign policy last two years. for more, i'm joined by "wall street journal" columnist and deputy editor, dan hen ger, brett stevens and matt. many on the right and the left in talking about hagel's resignation, basically say the problem with obama's foreign policy isn't hagel. wasn't hagel. it's in the white house. >> the thing is, chuck hagel's really a nonentity as chief in the pentagon. he started out

secretary of defense chuck hagel announced his resignation. in announcing his departure, the president had praise for hagel. >> when i nominated you for this position you said you would always give your honest advice and counsel, and you have. behind closed doors in the oval office you always gave it to me street. i appreciate your knowledge. >> now he will replace of secretary of defense, that search comes in the midst of isil and ebola. >> it's the first mid-term casualty since the blow out of president obama and his party. it's clear that chuck hagel was on shaky ground from the start. from his confirmation hearing to the moment he quit it was a rough go for chuck hagel, and some of his worst critics were fellow republicans. >> the surge would be the worst blunder since vietnam. correct or incorrect. >> my reference to-- >> are you going to answer the question, senator hagel? the question is were you right or wrong? >> his nomination of president obama came at a time of draw downs and budget guts. >> chuck hagel is what our troops deserve.

chuck hagel is out. the secretary of defense's decision on his own timetable, cnn sources say he is, in fact, being forced out. hagel, the first enlisted combat veteran to serve as secretary and the only republican in the cabinet will stay on until the president names

we are awaiting an announcement from president obama on the resignation of defense secretary chuck hagel. you are looking at the state dining room right now, and that is expected in a few moments. when it happens we will bring it to you live. lot to talk about this morning here at post nine. markets are up yet again, sixth week running. john steinberg from the daily mail north america is here brightening up our morning. we have to talk about apple first of off the bat moving higher after ses ca hanna upping its price target. an analyst with kgi securities who has a good record on apple is predicting the company will sell almost 72 million iphones in the current quarter and predicting sales to fall dramatically after the holiday season. as for the competition, though, according to the "wall street journal" samsung is considering a major leadership shakeup after a year that's seen the stock struggle due to weak profitability. let's start with apple. 72 million iphones is quite an astonishing number even though we expected it to be a strong holiday season. >> to give a little context, gene

chuck hagel is out. the president to make that

secretary chuck hagel set to speak any time now. and in the meantime shannon bream is live on the national mall with more on the goings on there. >> reporter: you are hearing the sneak preview of the zack brown. they will be here tonight for the first ever of its kind on the national mall on veterans day. there will be ri hannah and bruce springstein and ophrah will be here. they want to have a emphasis on those who are still serving here in the present day right now, there is a number of military folks and families getting an up front vow of the zack brown band. they will be honored guest tonight and 12000 societies reserved for veterans and family and active doubt military. expect to have 800000 people here tonight. organizers are going to have information on how you help. and they are helping those who served our country and still serving our country. and they want every day to be veteran's day and sometimes it is it easier for us to write a check. but they want to encourage average americans to reach out who served or now servin

the fact that chuck hagel resigned had no impact here. this is seen as domestic u.s. politics. people are now worried about the future, who might come in, this is a republican senate. there have been republicans that have been openly saying that we need ground troops in iraq, the pentagon has a similar view. that really concerns people here, is will the new secretary of defense be able to deem with the senate that is clearly hostile to some of obama's policies, this is all a real concern. the idea that the americans can come in with large amounts of ground troops is seen as a complete no-no here. there are increasing voices in iraq that are saying up in mosul towards the border crossing where isil have their strength, that might be what we need. it's all about the future, looking to see who takes that job next and the impact on u.s. policy here are. >> the bottom line in baghdad, no u.s. troops on the ground. >> the head of the phoenix v.a. hospital has last her job. sharon he willman has been on administrative leave since may. that hospital was at the center of complaints that

chuck hagel out of the pentagon. who knows who's in in his place, all eyes on ferguson, missouri tonight and around the country as people protest the ferguson decision and a huge storm bearing down on the east coast for the busiest travel day of the year tomorrow. lots more to come. stay with us. [ male announcer ] are you so stuffed up, you feel like you're underwater? try zyrtec-d® to powerfully clear your blocked nose and relieve your other allergy symptoms... so you can breathe easier all day. zyrtec-d®. find it at the pharmacy counter. [ female announcer ] aveeno® daily moisturizing lotion has active naturals® oat with five vital nutrients. [ aniston ] because beautiful skin goes with everything. aveeno®. naturally beautiful results™. >>> you're looking at live pictures from union square in new york city and a few other protest sites around the country now as people continue to react to the news about the grand jury decision last night in ferguson, missouri. you're looking here at oakland, california and

chuck hagel, harry reid. with respect to chuck hagel, listen, what it reminds me of is he's got to be surrounded by -- this is like a ceo, the board of director -- >> i provide these free of charge. >> one person says i think you might have done this wrong or we miscalculated isis. out! get him out! >> well, what happened there? the third defense secretary in his term. not unprecedented, but it is getting to be routine. >> maybe not. there were reports he wasn't as well liked as leon panetta and gates prior to him. >> oh, those guys were stellar and write best sellers. >> he has communications for the white house. the white house didn't like him, he didn't like the white house, to boil it down. we always criticize people in government and the administration for not cutting somebody loose. people don't get kicked to the curb -- >> that's a fair criticism. we are going to jump on them for moving slow at the v.a. fair enough. >> this is more corporate behavior. >> it would be nice if he was asked because of the

what is behind the resignation of secretary of deputies chuck hagel. and the effort to defeat isis and obama's legacy. four years a sniper. he is putting his ears on the the front line and using real life natural disasters. it is all "happening now". ♪ >> first though, our top story. the family of michael brown about to react to the grand jury's decision not to indict the police officer. welcome to the second hour of "happening now". i am jon scott. >> and i am heather in for jenna le. the brown family with al sharpton and they reject the process and demanding a change in the law. >> adam? >> reporter: the community is shell shocked. 25 different fires and 80 people arrested and now a recovery process. we are walking down old town ferguson. this area never had problems with riots in the past. but last night, every business wall got knocked out and windows taken out. people are doing the recovery. you can see inside they have taken things off of the shelves and trying to do a recover process and at the same time prepare for anything that might happen.