Deputy CIA Director Michael Morell to retire, replaced by White House counsel

Michael Morell, the Central Intelligence Agency's deputy director, is planning to retire, CIA Director John Brennan announced Wednesday, and will be replaced by White House counsel Avril Haines.

"As much as I would selfishly like to keep Michael right where he is for as long as possible, he has decided to retire to spend more time with his family and to pursue other professional opportunities," Brennan said in a statement.

The White House plan to appoint Haines, Deputy Assistant to the President and Legal Adviser to the National Security Council, to succeed Morell. Brennan, in his statement said that Haines has worked closely with national security officials over the past several years. "She has participated in virtually every Deputies and Principals Committee meeting over the past two years and chairs the Lawyers' Group that reviews the Agency's most sensitive programs," Brennan said. Prior to her White House service, Haines worked at the State Department.

"The arc of Avril's career has given her a range of experiences on many of the same issues that we focus on as an Agency, and I very much look forward to Avril bringing her expertise, intellect, integrity, and dedication to national security to our Agency," Brennan said.

Alongside the White House announcement of their intention to appoint Haines, Obama announced that Morell will be appointed to an administration post as a member of his Intelligence Advisory Board.

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