United States: Joshua Rudd could be appointed to lead Cyber Command and the NSA

The position has been vacant since his predecessor was abruptly dismissed by Donald Trump ten months ago.

In the United States, the Senate Intelligence Committee approved on February 10, 2026, the nomination of Lieutenant General Joshua Rudd to head U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency (NSA). The Senate Armed Services Committee had already validated his nomination in January 2026. The full Senate must now confirm the appointment before U.S. President Donald Trump can formally approve it.

Both agencies fall under the authority of the Department of Defense. U.S. Cyber Command is responsible for national cyber defense, while the NSA oversees signals intelligence. The joint leadership of the two agencies has been vacant since April 2025, when Donald Trump abruptly dismissed General Timothy Haugh and his deputy Wendy Noble.

Appointed by Joe Biden in early 2024, Haugh had built a strong record, particularly in countering Russian interference operations. However, his cautious stance toward directives from Donald Trump and his ties to Democratic officials led to his removal. Currently deputy commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Joshua Rudd has no prior experience in cybersecurity or intelligence.