The White House has reportedly chosen Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone, head of Army Cyber Command since 2016, as the new head of the NSA, which would also place him charge of the newly elevated U.S. Cyber Command.
Nakasone is regarded as well-qualified, and already fluent in cyberspace operations. A senior Pentagon cyber officer during the Obama administration says of him, “He understands military cyberspace operations better than almost anyone in the United States. But, most importantly, he understands people.”
He is known for his role in helping shape the digital war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, as well as for assisting with the rapid buildout of Cyber Command, which has added thousands of digital warriors in recent years. But intelligence officials caution the next NSA leader will need more than the right credentials, given the morale issues that have plagued the agency in the past few years.
