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Senate Confirms Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd To Lead U.S. Cyber Command and NSA

Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd has been the deputy commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command since 2024.

Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd. Photo by Cpl. Anita Ramos

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd to be the next commander of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency after a 71-29 vote.

A native of Southern California, Rudd assumed the position of deputy commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in 2024. He previously deployed in support of several combat operations, including Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn and Operation Inherent Resolve.

President Donald Trump nominated him to the dual role in December 2025.

Although he has decades of military service, Rudd has been criticized by some lawmakers for a lack of cyber experience. In a letter to the president, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said, “He is not qualified for this job.”

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, approved of this confirmation in a statement on Tuesday. “He is the right choice to lead the protection of our nation from cyber attacks by Iran, Russia and China.”

He is the first Senate-confirmed leader since President Trump fired Gen. Timothy Haugh from the position in April 2025.

“AFCEA congratulates General Rudd on his nominations and promotion,” said Lt. Gen. Susan S. Lawrence, president and CEO of AFCEA International. “We've had the opportunity to work with General Rudd and appreciate his views on the importance of bringing the government, military, industry and academia together to solve our nation's most complex challenges. As cyber threats to the United States and its allies grow in scale and sophistication, strong leadership and sustained collaboration are essential to advancing our shared national security mission. As the leading association partner when it comes to cyber, AFCEA is proud to bring leaders together to strengthen our collective cybersecurity. We look forward to working with General Rudd to continue and expand our relationship with U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, including at our upcoming TechNet Cyber conference in June.”