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Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd, the Army general nominated to lead the National Security Agency, told senators during his confirmation hearing that he would follow the Constitution and applicable law in using the NSA’s surveillance authorities. The Senate Intelligence Committee also probed how the administration might handle limits intended to prevent intelligence programs from being used against Americans for their speech or political beliefs.
Rudd said his role would be to carry out the NSA’s foreign-intelligence mission within the legal authorities the program is given. He assured lawmakers that he would not take directions to shift the focus of surveillance in a way that violates federal restrictions tied to domestic targeting.
The questioning included an exchange with Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, who asked whether Rudd would insist on a judicial warrant if he were directed to target people in the United States for surveillance. In response, Rudd said that, if confirmed, he would “absolutely commit” to executing the foreign intelligence mission of the NSA in accordance with the authorities the agency has been given and “within all applicable laws.”
Rudd’s nomination is also tied to cyber operations: if confirmed, he would run the Pentagon’s Cyber Command in addition to leading the NSA. Lawmakers discussed the NSA’s broader remit, including cybersecurity, digital surveillance and cryptography programs, and how those capabilities support national security as foreign adversaries develop new cyber and digital threats.
The hearing unfolded against the backdrop of an NSA leadership gap. The NSA has been without a permanent director since President Donald Trump fired Gen. Tim Haugh last year, and lawmakers said the nomination raised questions about whether the president’s team has politicized intelligence and security programs.
Senators from both parties said they believed the nomination would be confirmed by the full Senate, though they did not announce a date for the vote at the time of the hearing.