Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd, if confirmed by the Senate, would also run the Pentagon’s Cyber Command, giving him a critical role in the nation’s offensive and defensive cyber operations. The NSA has been without a permanent director since President Donald Trump fired Gen. Tim Haugh last year. The questions at Rudd’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee reflected concerns about whether Trump has politicized the use of federal law enforcement and security programs to target his critics and political opponents. Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd testifies during a Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. The NSA focuses on cybersecurity, digital surveillance and cryptography programs for American national security and works closely with other intelligence agencies and the Pentagon.