Trump to nominate Army cyber chief to lead NSA, official says

President Trump will nominate Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone to serve as the next leader of the National Security Agency (NSA), an administration official said Tuesday. 

“Congratulations to Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone, nominated as Director NSA & Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, a [position] that will earn him his 4th star!” Rob Joyce, a former NSA official who is serving as White House cyber coordinator, wrote on Twitter.

“An exceptional leader for two exceptional [organizations], he brings great experience and strong cyber background,” Joyce wrote. {mosads}

Nakasone, who currently leads the Army Cyber Command, will replace outgoing NSA Director Adm. Michael Rogers, who is expected to soon retire from his post. Nakasone will also helm U.S. Cyber Command in the dual-hat role.

The White House has not yet sent out an official advisory on his nomination. A spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation.

Nakasone has widely been rumored as a top choice for the role since news first broke that Rogers was expected to leave his post earlier this year. Politico reported last month that Trump was expected to choose Nakasone for the position.

Nakasone will assume the role at a key moment for both the NSA and Cyber Command, the U.S. military’s offensive cyber unit. The clandestine spy agency has faced turmoil in recent years as a result of intelligence leaks and the loss of top-secret hacking tools.

Meanwhile, Cyber Command will see its authorities grow in the coming year, after Trump moved to elevate it into a full combatant command last year. 

The Pentagon is currently mulling whether and how to split NSA and Cyber Command, which will result in each having a different leader. The split is widely viewed as inevitable, though former officials and some lawmakers have warned it could have potentially negative consequences if done too swiftly.

Rogers has been at the helm of the NSA since 2014, and has presided over reorganization at an agency that has been unpopular among some officials. He delivered what could be his last public congressional testimony Tuesday, appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee for an annual hearing on worldwide threats.

“This will be Adm. Rogers’s last visit before this committee on the threat assessment issue. He deeply regrets not having to come before you in the future years as he’s enjoyed this process very much,” Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats quipped during opening remarks.