Obama asks defense secretary Hagel to step down: NY Times

U.S. President Barack Obama has asked Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to step down, making the first change to his cabinet after the Democrats' heavy loss in the midterm elections early this month, The New York Times reported Monday.

Obama made his decision last Friday after a series of meetings over the past two weeks, it said, quoting senior administration officials.

The White House said the president will make an announcement on Hagel's resignation late Monday morning.

Hagel, a 68-year-old Republican, took office in February 2013.

Analysts said that Obama's decision on cabinet change appears to be an effort by the White House to show that it is sensitive to critics who have pointed to stumbles in the government's early response to several national security issues, including the Ebola crisis and the threat posed by the Islamic State. Enditem