President Donald Trump has officially put forward his pick to lead two of America's most critical defense organizations. The White House transmitted Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd's nomination to the Senate this week, according to reports, setting the stage for what could be a significant shift in U.S. cyber and intelligence operations.

The Nomination Process Begins

The nomination hit the Congressional Record late Monday evening, though you'd hardly know it from the official response. While Senate records confirm receipt, the White House insisted no nomination had been sent. The Pentagon, for its part, punted questions back to the White House. Classic Washington coordination.

The paperwork doesn't explicitly name which job Rudd is up for, but the clues are there. The filing indicates a promotion to four-star general, and that's the rank you need to run both the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command. Sources familiar with the situation confirmed Trump selected Rudd for this dual-hatted position. One person said Rudd sat for an interview at the White House just last week.

Now the nomination heads to the Senate Armed Services Committee, followed by the Senate Intelligence Committee. Both panels have oversight authority for NSA and Cyber Command, which means Rudd will face questions from multiple directions.

Senators Prepare Their Questions

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), vice chair of the Intelligence Committee, acknowledged the nomination and said he'll review Rudd's qualifications carefully. Given the escalating cyber threats and broader national security challenges facing the country, that scrutiny seems warranted. Other committee leaders either declined to comment or didn't respond to inquiries.

Filling a Months-Long Gap

Here's the thing: these agencies have been operating without permanent leadership for quite a while now. Lt. Gen. William Hartman has been holding down the fort in an acting capacity since April, after Trump removed Gen. Timothy Haugh from the Senate-confirmed position earlier this year.

Warner didn't mince words about the extended vacancy. "This kind of chaos and vacancy at the top makes America less safe," he said, criticizing the administration for taking months to settle on a nominee.

The leadership situation has been fluid, to put it mildly. Reports from last year indicated Hartman was Trump's initial choice for the permanent role. Then Trump changed direction. Hartman now plans to retire either next year or after a successor gets confirmed, whichever comes first.

So after months of speculation and an ongoing acting arrangement, Rudd's nomination represents the administration's attempt to finally put permanent leadership in place at two agencies that sit at the heart of America's digital defense infrastructure.