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President Barack Obama nominates former Pentagon attorney Jeh Johnson, a national security expert who had a role in ending the military's ban on gays in the military, to be Homeland Security chief during a ceremony at the White House.
"From the moment I took office, Jeh was an absolute critical member of my national security team. And he demonstrated again and again the qualities that will make him a strong secretary of Homeland Security," Obama said during the ceremony.
Johnson, who served as general counsel in the Department of Defense during Obama's first term, succeeds Janet Napolitano, who stepped down earlier this year. His nomination requires Senate confirmation.
Johnson is now a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP.
Johnson was involved in the Obama administration's policy over the legality of drone use.
He helped lead a review and authored a report that led to the 2010 repeal of the "Don'