Trump 2.0 and the fracture of US cyber power

China’s cyber targeting took a dangerous turn in 2024. No longer content with espionage, Beijing has started laying the foundation for destructive cyberattacks on American networks. And yet, the new Trump administration is renewing an effort to break apart its greatest asset for counterstriking: the “dual hat” arrangement between U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) and the National Security Agency (NSA). Under this arrangement, one individual simultaneously serves as military cyber commander under the Defense Department and the nation’s top signals intelligence chief. Splitting this leadership structure would greatly damage U.S. cyber effectiveness.

Having one individual responsible and accountable for both USCYBERCOM and the NSA has been the United States’ most critical advantage in cyberspace. Although this setup predates the 2010 creation of USCYBERCOM by six years, the military command’s formal establishment spurred debates over separating organizational leadership. Many talking points against a dual hat have not changed, and the Trump administration seems set on moving forward with an outdated view.