Gen. James Jones will resign as President Barack Obama's national security adviser and will be replaced by Deputy National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, NBC News confirmed Friday.

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The departure is not unexpected. Officials who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity said that Jones, whose resignation will be effective in two weeks, had planned from the start of his tenure to leave the position at about the two-year mark.

Obama is expected to make a formal announcement in the Rose Garden at 1 p.m. EDT.

Donilon, who said he was not interested in the position of chief of staff to the president, was widely believed to have his sights set on the post as National Security Adviser. Jones is also known to have recommended that General James Cartwright, the Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, be offered the job.

Jones was appointed to the top security position in January 2009. He previously served as Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1999-2003, the Commander of US and NATO forces in Europe, and as the State Department's Special Envoy for Middle East Regional Security.

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