Electronic surveillance

CYBERCOM Chief Nominee Plans Recommendation on NSA Split Within Three Months

President Donald Trump’s pick to lead U.S. Cyber Command plans to deliver a recommendation about whether the command is ready to split form its dual hat relationship with the National Security Agency within 90 days of being confirmed, Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone told lawmakers Thursday.

Nakasone has “no predisposed opinion,” however, about whether CYBERCOM is ready to fly solo, he told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing.

If confirmed, Nakasone will be CYBERCOM’s third leader since the command was established in 2010 and the first to lead the outfit as a full unified combatant command. CYBERCOM was previously slotted beneath U.S. Strategic Command, though outgoing chief, Adm. Michael Rogers, said he frequently worked directly with Pentagon leadership rather than working through STRATCOM.

Trump directed Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to consider splitting NSA and CYBERCOM in connection with that elevation, but the Pentagon has not yet settled on a plan for that split or its timing.