World News | Biden names new NSA chief, key to supporting Ukraine, defending U.S. election

WASHINGTON, May 24 (AP) — President Joe Biden has selected a new leader for the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber ​​Command, the joint post that oversees much of the nation’s cyber warfare and defense.

Air Force Lieutenant General Timothy Haugh, currently deputy commander of Cyber ​​Command, will succeed Army General Paul Nakasone, who has led both organizations since May 2018 and is expected to step down this year, according to a notice issued by the Air Force. confirmed by a person familiar with the announcement. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters that have not been made public.

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If confirmed, Haugh would oversee a high-impact U.S. effort to bolster Ukraine’s cybersecurity and share information with Ukrainian forces battling Russian incursions. He will also oversee programs to detect and deter foreign influence and interference in U.S. elections and to target the criminals behind ransomware attacks that have shut down hospital systems and at one point shut down a critical U.S. fuel pipeline.

Politico first reported that Haugh had been selected.

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Haugh’s nomination to lead NSA and Cyber ​​Command reflects the White House’s intention to have a single person in charge of both organizations. This arrangement is known as a “dual hat” release.

Some leading Republicans have long wanted to split the leadership, saying each organization is so important that it needs a full-time leader. Nakasone has long advocated keeping the dual hat, saying it allows him and future leaders to gain more power more effectively.

The Biden administration formed a small study group last year to examine the leadership structure. Reviews show support for staying put.

An official familiar with the matter said the group’s review found that having a single head in charge of the two agencies better mirrored the structure of U.S. allies’ cyber and intelligence operations and made it easier to act quickly on information — — This is a critical aspect of combating cyberwarfare. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity so that the sensitive issue could be discussed.

Within the U.S., a single chief also simplifies decision-making and enables the U.S. to act on intelligence more quickly, the team found, rather than letting information pass through two structures of leadership before making response recommendations.

The panel reviewed case studies of intelligence and cyber operations to determine whether the dual-hat structure was necessary and briefed the secretary of defense, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and relevant congressional committees on its findings, the official said .

According to a service biography, Haugh was a career signals intelligence officer and recipient of the Bronze Star, which is awarded to service members for heroism or outstanding achievement in the field. Since August, he has served as the deputy commander of US Cyber ​​Command. (Associated Press)

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