NSA Appoints Tim Kosiba as Deputy Director, Ending Months of Leadership Turmoil

The National Security Agency announced Friday that Tim Kosiba has been appointed deputy director, bringing a prolonged period of uncertainty over the agency’s top civilian leadership to a close.

Selection and Approval

The NSA said in a press release that Kosiba — a 30-year veteran of the NSA and the FBI — was selected by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and was "approved" by President Donald Trump. The agency used similar language in its earlier, now-removed announcement naming Joe Francescon as deputy last August.

Background: False Start and Senior Vacancies

Last August the agency initially announced Joe Francescon as its No. 2, but the White House quietly dropped that selection and later turned its attention to Kosiba, as first reported by POLITICO. Kosiba’s appointment follows months of leadership instability at the NSA marked by high-profile departures and internal turnover.

Leadership Turmoil

In April, President Trump dismissed Gen. Timothy Haugh, then the NSA director, and his deputy Wendy Noble after a meeting in the Oval Office. The agency also lost its general counsel this summer amid questions raised in conservative media about political loyalty. Those departures left senior posts unfilled for months and raised concerns about continuity at the intelligence agency.

Why the Deputy Role Matters

The deputy director post is especially consequential: the NSA’s global signals-intelligence and cybersecurity missions routinely collect communications that can include Americans’ electronic data, creating complex legal and political trade-offs that require experienced leadership.

Kosiba’s Career

According to the NSA, Kosiba began his career at the agency as the technical director for the Joint Functional Component Command for Network Warfare and subsequently held multiple senior positions. He rose to deputy commander of NSA Georgia, the agency’s largest field location, left the agency in 2021, and most recently served as CEO of a cybersecurity company. Kosiba did not respond to a request for comment.

What Comes Next

Separately, President Trump has nominated Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd to serve as the dual-hatted director of the NSA and commander of U.S. Cyber Command. Rudd is scheduled to appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Jan. 15 and would subsequently testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee as part of the confirmation process.

Bottom line: Kosiba’s appointment restores a key senior post at the NSA during a period of organizational disruption, but confirmation of broader leadership stability will depend on upcoming nominations and congressional review.