Chuck Todd: White House Hopes New Defense Secretary Will Be 'Bull In A China Shop'

During an NBC News special report on President Obama nominating Pentagon official Ashton Carter be the next secretary of defense, Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd advanced White House talking points that the President really wanted someone who would challenge the administration on foreign policy: "...they claim they want him to be more confrontational with the White House national security team....I have aides tell me they want Ashton Carter to be a bull in a china shop if necessary and be that person."

Earlier on Today, White House correspondent Kristen Welker similarly declared: "White House officials say Carter was tapped because he's not afraid to challenge the President, recently disagreeing with Mr. Obama's decision to withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq instead of leaving a strong residual force."

Todd acknowledged that all of Obama's defense secretaries "have complained that they have not been able to break that tight circle around the President." Welker observed: "Now the backdrop to all of this is a reported power struggle between the White House and the Pentagon. Two of President Obama's previous defense secretaries have publicly criticized the President for trying to micro-manage decision making."

Welker began her Today report by framing the shake-up as a way for Obama to reset his foreign policy: "Carter's nomination comes at a time of deep uncertainty while a chorus of critics say the administration has been slow to respond to a series of crises. So this move is an acknowledgment by the President that his foreign policy needs a reboot and a change at the top."

Here are transcripts of the reports from Welker and Todd:

Today
7:11 AM ET

CARSON DALY: President Obama announces his nominee for defense secretary this morning. Ashton Carter, a former Pentagon official, will be the pick to replace Chuck Hagel. This as Hagel opens up about his sudden resignation last week. NBC's White House correspondent Kristen Welker at the White House this morning. Kristen, good morning.

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: President's New Pentagon Pick; Set to Nominate Ashton Carter for Defense Sec'y]

KRISTEN WELKER: Carson, good morning to you. Ashton Carter is a nuclear physicist with deep roots at the Pentagon. If confirmed, he will be President Obama's fourth defense secretary in six years. Carter's nomination comes at a time of deep uncertainty while a chorus of critics say the administration has been slow to respond to a series of crises. So this move is an acknowledgment by the President that his foreign policy needs a reboot and a change at the top.

He's a former deputy defense secretary with a long history at the Pentagon. And later today, 60-year-old Ashton Carter is expected to become President Obama's latest pick for defense secretary. White House officials say Carter was tapped because he's not afraid to challenge the President, recently disagreeing with Mr. Obama's decision to withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq instead of leaving a strong residual force. Jeremy Bash is advising Carter on his nomination.

JEREMY BASH [FMR. PENTAGON CHIEF OF STAFF]: He knows that the job of the secretary is to give his best military and strategic advice to the commander in chief. And I've seen him do it, he won't hesitate to give that advice.

WELKER: If confirmed, Carter will face steep hurdles, from the escalating campaign against ISIS to looming budget cuts at the agency. Outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel stepped down from the post last week amidst reports he was too passive in the face of those new challenges. On Thursday, Hagel pushed back on reports that he was forced to resign.

CHUCK HAGEL: This was a mutual decision based on the discussions that we had.

WELKER: There was largely bipartisan praise from Capitol Hill, but Republican Senator Ted Cruz slammed the administration for having four defense secretaries in almost as many years.

SEN. TED CRUZ [R-TX]: At a time when the threats are this grave, we shouldn't see more turnover at the Defense Department than one has at a typical Burger King.

WELKER: Now the backdrop to all of this is a reported power struggle between the White House and the Pentagon. Two of President Obama's previous defense secretaries have publicly criticized the President for trying to micro-manage decision making. One key test for Carter will be whether he's able to work with the national security structure here at the White House.

Sources on both sides of the aisle say barring something unexpected, Carter will likely be confirmed. Carson, back to you.

DALY: Kristen Welker at the White House on the story for us this morning. Thank you.

NBC News Special Report
10:23 AM ET

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Good morning everyone. As we come on, the President is about to speak live, he will be announcing his new defense secretary, it is Ashton Carter, who is of course the former number two at the Pentagon, someone who's worked for decades in different presidential administrations from Clinton to Bush to President Obama.

Let's turn right to Chuck Todd. He's NBC's political director. He's the moderator of Meet the Press. Chuck, good morning. What can you tell us about Ash Carter, someone those in Washington know very well.

CHUCK TODD: Washington folks do know him very well. He's not a household name nationally, not a former elected official as the current secretary of defense is, in Chuck Hagel. Ashton Carter is somebody who just served as deputy secretary of defense just over a year ago. Very hands on guy, knows how everything works in that Pentagon.

The White House expects him to be a big force at the Pentagon, they want him to be – they claim they want him to be more confrontational with the White House national security team. Of course, Savannah, as we know, that has been a problem for the three defense secretaries in the Obama years – Gates, Panetta, and Hagel – all of whom have complained that they have not been able to break that tight circle around the President. I have aides tell me they want Ashton Carter to be a bull in a china shop if necessary and be that person.

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