Paul M. Nakasone

Paul Miki Nakasone (Japanese: 仲宗根 幹, born 19 November 1963) is a retired four-star general in the United States Army who served as the commander of United States Cyber Command. He concurrently served as the director of the National Security Agency and as chief of the Central Security Service. Nakasone took command of the United States Second Army and Army Cyber Command in October 2016, until the Second Army's inactivation in March 2017. In May 2018, he became head of the National Security Agency, the Central Security Service, and the United States Cyber Command.

He is on the board of directors of WitnessAI and OpenAI.

Early life and education Born in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. He is the son of Edwin M. Nakasone, a second-generation Japanese American and a retired United States Army colonel who served in the Military Intelligence Service during World War II, and Mary Anne Nakasone (née Costello). His paternal grandparents came from Misato village in the Nakagami District, Okinawa.

Nakasone grew up in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and attended White Bear High School. He is married to Susan S. (née Sternberg), through the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. the National Defense Intelligence College, and the United States Army War College, earning master's degrees from those institutions as well. He also is a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College.

Prior to promotion to lieutenant general in 2016, Nakasone was the deputy commanding general of United States Army Cyber Command and later commander of the Cyber National Mission Force at Cyber Command. Nakasone has twice served as a staff officer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and was the director of intelligence, J2, for the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. He served as commander of the Second Army until it was inactivated for the fourth time in its history on 31 March 2017, and continued to serve as commander of United States Army Cyber Command. In February 2018, he was nominated for promotion to general. In April 2018, Nakasone was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate as director of the National Security Agency and head of the United States Cyber Command. He was also promoted to the rank of general. In May 2022, Nakasone was asked to remain as the head of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency until 2023. In those roles, he has attracted attention for disclosing that the U.S. government took unspecified cyber offensive action against ransomware gangs operating outside the United States that targeted American infrastructure, as well as against Russian targets associated with the invasion of Ukraine.

Retirement and later life Nakasone retired from the military on 1 February 2024. General Timothy D. Haugh succeeded him as Director of the NSA and head of Cyber Command.

On 14 February 2024, Nakasone published an opinion article in the Washington Post, arguing for Congress to re-approve the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which was due to expire in spring 2024. Congress reauthorized the bill on 20 April, hours before it would have expired.

In May 2024, Nakasone was named Founding Director of Vanderbilt University's new Institute of National Security. Nakasone will also hold a Research Professorship within Vanderbilt's School of Engineering, as well as serving as special advisor to the chancellor. Also in May 2024, Nakasone was elected to the board of trustees of Saint John's University, his alma mater. Nakasone was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Dartmouth College on 9 June 2024.

Nakasone joined the board of OpenAI in June 2024.

In June 2025, Nakasone spoke at the WORLD.MINDS meeting in Washington DC about China, AI and the transatlantic relationship.

Awards and decorations

Army Military Intelligence Corps Distinctive Unit InsigniaJoint Meritorious Unit AwardV Corps Combat Service Identification Badge

Other awards