New Defense Cuts May Force Hagel's Hand

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who has kept a somewhat low-key profile at the Pentagon since his appointment nine months ago, is facing what some sources close to him say could be his biggest challenge as he prepares to confront a new round of defense cuts, according to a report in Politico Magazine.

Hagel, who some administration officials call a "paper tiger," showed some signs of fighting back at sequestration cuts when he reinstated five of 11 furlough days for Pentagon civilian employees without getting White House approval. The former...