White House press secretary Josh Earnest refused to answer whether Chuck Hagel was fired, steadfastly repeating the vague assertion that he’s leaving based on “conversations” between the defense secretary and the president.
“Did Chuck Hagel indicate, in these conversations, a desire to stay on?” NPR’s Mara Liasson asked Earnest on Monday.
“Um — well, again, this is a decision that the two of them arrived at together,” the press secretary responded. “I’m not aware of sort of, the twists and turns of the conversation they’ve had over the past month.”
“Is it fair to say the president did not ask him to stay on?” Liasson pressed.
“It’s fair to say that the two men arrived at the same conclusion together,” Earnest said, “that it was time for Secretary Hagel to submit his letter of resignation — which he did today.”
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