By Micah Jonah
March 11, 2026
The US Senate confirmed General Joshua Rudd on Tuesday to lead the National Security Agency (NSA) and the US Cyber Command, ending a vacancy left since President Donald Trump fired his predecessor in a national security shake-up. The vote was 71-29, elevating Rudd to four-star general.
Rudd, previously a lieutenant general and deputy commander of the military’s Indo-Pacific Command, was nominated in December for the dual-hat role overseeing both intelligence and cyber operations, increasingly critical amid the ongoing Iran conflict.
The agency had been disrupted in April when Trump dismissed General Timothy Haugh and deputy Wendy Noble after a controversial Oval Office meeting with far-right activist, Laura Loomer, who reportedly presented a list of officials deemed disloyal.
Senator Tom Cotton praised Rudd as a “war hero” equipped to protect the US from cyber threats posed by Iran, Russia, and China, while Senator Ron Wyden opposed the fast-tracked confirmation, questioning Rudd’s qualifications.
Rudd’s confirmation restores leadership to two of the US military’s key intelligence and cybersecurity institutions at a pivotal time in global and regional conflicts.
