How the ‘heartbreaking’ lack of a confirmed leader is impacting CYBERCOM and NSA

It’s been nearly seven months since the Trump administration fired Gen. Timothy Haugh, commander of US Cyber Command and the director of the National Security Agency. And with no nominee named yet, experts, former military officials and a sitting Congressman are all raising red flags that the long gap has hurt American cyber preparedness.

At the core of the issue, eight sources Breaking Defense spoke to said, is that the absence is undermining stated goals from the administration as well as military readiness, while noting how unprecedented it is to go this long without a name chosen.

“[It’s] just sort of heartbreaking to see what’s going on with cyber and NSA under this administration right now. I say that as a Republican,” Rep. Don Bacon, R-NE, who also chairs the House Armed Services subcommittee in charge of cyber oversight, said in an interview. “This is seven months. It’s indefensible and it shows just a total disregard by the administration and the secretary of defense for this mission area.”

Read more at Breaking Defense