Secretary of Defense

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Shaking up his Pentagon leadership, President Barack Obama tapped policy wonk Ashton Carter to oversee the sprawling Defense Department Friday, heralding his new nominee as one the nation's "foremost national security leaders."

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has tapped former Pentagon No. 2 Ashton Carter to be his next defense secretary and carry out the U.S. military effort against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, a senior Republican senator said Tuesday. White House officials, however, insisted no final decision has been reached.

The Senate has voted to confirm Chuck Hagel to be the nation's next defense secretary.