Obama taps John Brennan to be next CIA director, White House officials say Jewel Samad / AFP - Getty Images, file White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan's career includes a stint as CIA station chief in Saudi Arabia. By Andrea Mitchell, NBC News WASHINGTON -- Counterterrorism adviser John Brennan will be nominated as director of the Central Intelligence Agency by President Barack Obama, White House officials told NBC News on Monday. Brennan worked at the CIA for 25 years, including a stint as station chief in Saudi Arabia. He also served as chief of staff to then CIA Director George Tenet from 1999 to 2001, when he was named the agency's deputy executive director. Obama was expected to make the announcement on Monday. Full coverage from NBC Politics As Brennan has been involved in major national security issues since 9/11, he should be able "to hit the ground running" at the CIA, one official told NBC News. If confirmed, Brennan will succeed retired general David Petraeus, who resigned amid a scandal over an extramarital affair with his biographer. On Sunday, an official told NBC News that Obama planned to nominate former Nebraska senator Chuck Hagel to be secretary of defense. Hagel is a contrarian Republican moderate and decorated Vietnam combat veteran who is likely to support a more rapid withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. If confirmed, Hagel would give Obama a whiff of bipartisanship in his Cabinet. The Hagel announcement was also scheduled for Monday. Obama nominated Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., as his next secretary of state in December, his first step in filling out his second term Cabinet and national security team. NBC News' Peter Alexander and Reuters contributed to this report.