(WASHINGTON) -- A senior Capitol Hill source says President Obama will nominate Republican Chuck Hagel as Defense Secretary, ABC News confirmed.

The nomination of the former senator, which is expected Monday afternoon, has been floated for several weeks and has been received with a lot of skepticism from his fellow Republicans. President Obama seems to be closing his ears to the criticism of Hagel, who disparaged the Israeli lobby and a gay diplomatic nominee years ago.

Obama recently called Hagel a patriot who served in combat with valor.

President Obama is also expected to nominate John Brennan as his next director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Brennan, a 25-year CIA veteran, currently serves as Obama's top counterterrorism adviser. 

Obama considered Brennan for the top CIA job in 2008. But Brennan withdrew his name amid questions about his connection to enhanced interrogation techniques while serving in the spy agency during the George W. Bush administration.

Brennan denied involvement in the controversial interrogation tactics, including waterboarding, and has spoken out against them.

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