After outgoing NSA Chief and Head of U.S. Cyber Command Admiral Mike Rogers admitted on Tuesday that President Trump has not directed him to address Russian election interference and U.S. actions have not been not sufficient to deter Vladimir Putin, Rogers' potential replacement – Army Lieutenant General Paul Nakasone – faced tough questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearingThursday.
He was pressed about whether the U.S. is doing enough to deter attacks from Russia and other nations and what choices he will provide the president -- who continues to call probes of Russian interference a “witch hunt” -- to fight back.
Nakasone admitted the U.S. needs to do more to combat cyberattacks.
Nakasone said adversaries “do not think much will happen to them” and “they don’t fear us.”
“The longer that we have inactivity the longer our adversaries are able to establish their own norms,” Nakasone said.
Currently, cyber authorities are spread across the departments of Defense, Homeland Security and Justice.
Nakasone endorsed the need for a “whole of nation” approach to defending the country in cyberspace during his opening testimony and said the U.S. needs to “impose costs on our adversaries.”
Since October 2016, the 54-year-old Nakasone has served as commanding general of the Army’s Cyber Command. Previously, he served in a senior role at U.S. Cyber Command as well as director of intelligence for the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command in Afghanistan. A former special operations commander, Nakasone was also a staff officer with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Trump’s Spy Chief Nominee to Face Grilling Over Russia Response (Bloomberg Politics)
Trump NSA pick says response to Russian election interference has fallen short (The Hill)
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Joe Lacdan)