Senate Confirms Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd to Lead National Security Agency, Cyber Command

The Senate on March 10 confirmed Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd to lead the National Security Agency (NSA) and U.S. Cyber Command, approving his nomination by a 71–29 vote. As part of the confirmation, Rudd was promoted to the rank of general. The NSA has lacked a permanent director since President Donald Trump dismissed Gen. Tim Haugh in April 2025. In the interim, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. William Hartman has overseen Cyber Command operations. During Rudd’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee in January, lawmakers raised concerns about whether federal law enforcement and national security authorities could be used to target political critics. The questioning reflected broader debates in Washington over the potential politicization of intelligence and surveillance powers....