President Obama will announce his intent Friday to nominate Jeh Johnson as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

The White House calls Johnson, a former Pentagon attorney, "one the most highly qualified and respected national security leaders, having served as the senior lawyer for the largest government agency in the world."

It says that during Johnson's tenure at the Department of Defense, "he was known for his sound judgment and counsel" and was responsible for the legal review and approval of every military operation approved by the President and Secretary of Defense.