Sen. Ted Cruz slammed the White House on Tuesday for a "failure of leadership" as President Barack Obama prepares to nominate his administration's fourth defense secretary. 

The Texas Republican, who is considering a 2016 run in hopes of heading his own White House administration, called the unusually high turnover at the helm of the Defense Department emblematic of a White House that puts politics above U.S. national security. 

"It seems what the administration is looking for is a defense secretary who will follow the orders of a political White House rather than focus on defending the national security interests of this country," Cruz said. "At a time when the threats are this grave, we shouldn't see turnover at the Defense Department than one has at a typical Burger King." 

Cruz said he did not know Ashton Carter, the former No. 2 man at the Pentagon who is expected to be Obama's nominee to succeed Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, but Cruz said he looks forward to learning more about Carter and his "good reputation." 

But Cruz emphasized he was unsettled to see several potential picks pull their names out of the running to head the department, including former Pentagon official Michele Flournoy and Sen. Jack Reed. 

"It says something that so many people are saying, 'No, thank you, I don't want to serve in an administration that overrides the Defense Department, that treats the defense secretary as subservient to political lackeys in the White House," Cruz said. 

Cruz made the remarks Tuesday at an event cosponsored by Concerned Veterans of America and the conservative publication The Weekly Standard during which he bore out his hawkish foreign policy and staked out positions starkly in contrast to Obama. 
Who thought there was a failure at the White House?
What position does he hold?
For what state?
What party?
When did Cruz make the comment?
Did he think the defense department was doing a good job?
What kind of establishment did he compare them to?
What event did he say these things at?
Who had decided not to run as the head of the department?
What did she do?
Does she still work there?
Who else had pulled out?
Who is he?
Ted Cruz
Sen. Ted Cruz slammed the White House on Tuesday for a "failure of leadership"
Senator
Sen. Ted Cruz slammed the White House on Tuesday for a "failure of leadership" as President Barack Obama prepares to nominate his administration's fourth defense secretary. 
Texas
The Texas Republican, who is considering a 2016 run in hopes of heading his own White House administration, called the unusually high turnover at the helm of the Defense Department emblematic of a White House that puts politics above U.S. national security. 
Republican
The Texas Republican, who is considering a 2016 run in hopes of heading his own White House administration, called the unusually high turnover at the helm of the Defense Department emblematic of a White House that puts politics above U.S. national security. 
On Tuesday
Sen. Ted Cruz slammed the White House on Tuesday for a "failure of leadership" as President Barack Obama prepares to nominate his administration's fourth defense secretary. 

No
"It says something that so many people are saying, 'No, thank you, I don't want to serve in an administration that overrides the Defense Department, that treats the defense secretary as subservient to political lackeys in the White House," Cruz said. 
Burger KIng
 "At a time when the threats are this grave, we shouldn't see turnover at the Defense Department than one has at a typical Burger King." 
An event cosponsored by Concerned Veterans of America and The Weekly Standard
Cruz made the remarks Tuesday at an event cosponsored by Concerned Veterans of America and the conservative publication The Weekly Standard during which he bore out his hawkish foreign policy and staked out positions starkly in contrast to Obama. 
Michele Fluornoy
But Cruz emphasized he was unsettled to see several potential picks pull their names out of the running to head the department, including former Pentagon official Michele Flournoy and Sen. Jack Reed. 
She was a Pentagon official
But Cruz emphasized he was unsettled to see several potential picks pull their names out of the running to head the department, including former Pentagon official Michele Flournoy and Sen. Jack Reed. 
No
But Cruz emphasized he was unsettled to see several potential picks pull their names out of the running to head the department, including former Pentagon official Michele Flournoy and Sen. Jack Reed. 

Jack Reed
But Cruz emphasized he was unsettled to see several potential picks pull their names out of the running to head the department, including former Pentagon official Michele Flournoy and Sen. Jack Reed. 

A senator
But Cruz emphasized he was unsettled to see several potential picks pull their names out of the running to head the department, including former Pentagon official Michele Flournoy and Sen. Jack Reed. 