NSA chief Josh Rudd pushes rapid creation of five new divisions

After being confirmed as NSA director on March 10, Gen. Josh Rudd announced an ambitious restructuring that will create five new organizations within the agency. These divisions will concentrate on artificial intelligence, China, cybersecurity, combat support or warfighting, and global intelligence. Each unit requires a mission director, and insiders say Rudd is considering external candidates, leading some current staff to beg former leaders to return.

The elite hacking unit Tailored Access Operations will now report to the global intelligence director. Implementation is expected to begin in mid-October, with mission directors delivering plans by the end of September and the agency reaching full operating capacity by January 2027. Rudd acknowledged the plan’s uncertainty, noting that decisions may be reversible if they prove flawed.