- President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act.
- The bill includes new provisions in the areas of telecommunications and cybersecurity.
- The dual leadership structure between the NSA and Cyber Command was protected
The new National Defense Authorization Act of 2026 was signed into law, and more than $900 billion in new Pentagon funding includes some significant changes in the areas of cybersecurity and telecommunications.
Cybersecurity requirements have been imposed on telecommunications and cell phones used by senior U.S. government officials, as well as any personnel performing critical national security functions.
Within 90 days of the bill's passage, victims would be provided with cellphones with “enhanced cybersecurity protections,” including encryption, continuous monitoring capabilities, and permanent identifier obfuscation.
Double hat design
The bill also takes steps to create a “risk-based framework” that details cybersecurity and physical security standards for machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies procured by the department.
Security guidelines must also be developed to help protect AI from sabotage or technology theft by state-sponsored adversaries.
This will be accompanied by the creation of a comprehensive cybersecurity and governance policy for all machine learning and artificial intelligence systems used in the Pentagon.
The dual nature of the command structure is also effectively protected between the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, as Pentagon funds are prohibited from being used in ways that could “diminish or diminish the responsibility, authority, or organizational oversight of the Commander of U.S. Cyber Command.”
The President recently appointed a new head of Cyber Command and the NSA, Army Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd, who currently serves as deputy commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
The post is currently understaffed and has been for the past eight months since Trump overthrew the previous leader and reassigned several senior officials after meeting with far-right activist Laura Loomer, who said the leaders were fired because they were “disloyal to President Trump,” arguing that the administration “cannot allow Biden’s nominee” to serve as “arguably the most powerful president of the United States.” information agency in the world” at the NSA.
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