Director of the National Security Agency
Flag of the National Security Agency
Incumbent General Paul M. Nakasone, USA since May 4, 2018
National Security Agency
Status	Chief Executive
Reports to	Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Director of National Intelligence Secretary of Defense
Seat	Fort Meade, Maryland
Nominator	Secretary of Defense
Appointer	President of the United States with Senate advice and consent
Constituting instrument	10 U.S.C. § 201
Precursor	Director of the Armed Forces Security Agency
Formation	1952
First holder	MG Ralph Canine, USA
Deputy	Deputy Director of the National Security Agency (DDNSA)
Website	www.nsa.gov

The Director of the National Security Agency (DIRNSA) is the highest-ranking official of the National Security Agency, which is a defense agency within the U.S. Department of Defense. The director of the NSA also concurrently serves as the Chief of the Central Security Service (CHCSS) and as the commander of U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM). As the director of the NSA and the chief of the CSC, the officeholder reports to the under secretary of defense for intelligence, and as the commander of U.S. Cyber Command, the officeholder reports directly to the secretary of defense.

According to 10 U.S.C. § 201 of the United States Code, the director of the NSA is recommended by the secretary of defense and nominated for appointment by the president. The nominee must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate. In accordance with Department of Defense Directive 5100.20, dated 23 December 1971, the director of the NSA must always be a commissioned officer of the military services. As the assignment is currently part of a tri-hatted position, the director of the NSA is appointed to the grade of a four-star general or admiral during the period of his incumbency. The director's deputy is always a technically experienced civilian.^[1]

AFSA directors

The Armed Forces Security Agency was the predecessor to the National Security Agency and existed from 1949 to 1952.

#	Director	Portrait	Service	Term	President(s) served under
1	RADM Earl E. Stone		USN	1949–1951	Harry S. Truman
2	MG Ralph Canine		USA	1951–1952

NSA directors

#	Director	Portrait	Service	Term	President(s) served under
1	Lt Gen Ralph Canine		USA	1952–1956	Harry S. Truman Dwight D. Eisenhower
2	Lt Gen John Samford		USAF	1956–1960	Dwight D. Eisenhower
3	VADM Laurence Frost		USN	1960–1962	Dwight D. Eisenhower John F. Kennedy
4	Lt Gen Gordon Blake		USAF	1962–1965	John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson
5	LTG Marshall Carter		USA	1965–1969	Lyndon B. Johnson Richard Nixon
6	VADM Noel Gayler		USN	1969–1972	Richard Nixon
7	Lt Gen Samuel C. Phillips		USAF	1972–1973	Richard Nixon
8	Lt Gen Lew Allen		USAF	1973–1977	Richard Nixon Gerald Ford Jimmy Carter
9	VADM Bobby Ray Inman		USN	1977–1981	Jimmy Carter Ronald Reagan
10	Lt Gen Lincoln Faurer		USAF	1981–1985	Ronald Reagan
11	LTG William Odom		USA	1985–1988	Ronald Reagan
12	VADM William Studeman		USN	1988–1992	Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush
13	VADM John M. McConnell		USN	1992–1996	George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton
14	Lt Gen Kenneth A. Minihan		USAF	1996–1999	Bill Clinton
15	Lt Gen Michael Hayden		USAF	21 March 1999– 21 April 2005	Bill Clinton George W. Bush
16	LTG/GEN Keith B. Alexander[2]		USA	1 August 2005 – 28 March 2014	George W. Bush Barack Obama
17	ADM Michael S. Rogers		USN	2 April 2014 – 4 May 2018	Barack Obama Donald Trump
18	GEN Paul M. Nakasone		USA	4 May 2018 – present	Donald Trump Joe Biden

References

External links

• List of former NSA directors