Paul Nakasone

Born in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.{{Cite news|last=Nakashima|first=Ellen|author-link=Ellen Nakashima|date=2018-04-01|title=Incoming NSA chief has a reputation for winning 'all the important fights.' Russia will be his biggest test yet.|language=en|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/incoming-nsa-chief-has-a-reputation-for-winning-all-the-important-fights-russia-will-be-his-biggest-test-yet/2018/03/31/ee943ef0-23d6-11e8-badd-7c9f29a55815_story.html|access-date=2021-12-07|issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite web|date=2012-01-24|title=Minutes Regular Meetings of the City Council of the City of White Bear Lake, Minnesota|url=https://www.whitebearlake.org/sites/default/files/fileattachments/mayor_and_city_council/meeting/7048/012412_council_minutes.pdf|access-date=2021-12-07|website=whitebearlake.org}} He is the son of Edwin M. Nakasone,{{Cite magazine|last=Graff|first=Garrett M.|date=2020-10-13|title=The Man Who Speaks Softly—and Commands a Big Cyber Army|language=en-us|magazine=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/story/general-paul-nakasone-cyber-command-nsa/|access-date=2020-12-01|issn=1059-1028}} a second-generation Japanese American{{cite news|title=Son of WWII nisei receives promotion at Pentagon|url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/2013/04/17/breaking-news/son-of-wwii-nisei-receives-promotion-at-pentagon/|work=Honolulu Star Advertiser|date=April 27, 2013}} and a retired United States Army colonel who served in the Military Intelligence Service during World War II, and Mary Anne Nakasone (née Costello).{{cite web|url=http://www.presspubs.com/white_bear/article_dd447076-a113-11e6-9b8b-0b519b77123b.html|title=Army general (and White Bear grad) leads cyber command|date=November 2, 2016|publisher=White Bear Press|access-date=13 May 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rafu.com/2015/06/paul-nakasone-promoted-to-major-general-as-commander-of-cyber-mission-force/|title=Paul Nakasone Promoted to Major General as Commander of Cyber Mission Force|date=June 16, 2015 |publisher=Rafu Shimpo|access-date=13 May 2017}} His paternal grandparents came from Misato village in the Nakagami District, Okinawa.{{Cite web |title=米軍と沖縄移民の絆：ナカソネ大将 |trans-title=Bond between the United States Armed Forces and Okinawan immigrants: General Nakasone |author=Ryunosuke Megumi |url=http://okinawa-senkaku.com/hanada/pdf-1.pdf |publisher=Gekkan Hanada (Monthly Hanada) |year=2018 |issue=7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201007023729/http://okinawa-senkaku.com/hanada/pdf-1.pdf |archive-date=2020-10-07 |access-date=2020-10-07 |page=275}}

Nakasone grew up in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and attended White Bear High School.{{cite web|url=http://www.arcyber.army.mil/SiteAssets/ARCYBER%20biography%20-%20LTG%20Paul%20M%20Nakasone%20%2814Oct2016%29%20v2%20%28005%29_FINAL.pdf|title=Lt. Gen. Paul M. Nakasone Commanding General, U.S. Army Cyber Command|date=October 6, 2016|publisher=US Army Cyber Command|access-date=13 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170125072016/http://www.arcyber.army.mil/SiteAssets/ARCYBER%20biography%20-%20LTG%20Paul%20M%20Nakasone%20(14Oct2016)%20v2%20(005)_FINAL.pdf|archive-date=2017-01-25|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.presspubs.com/white_bear/news/article_be82d868-67f1-11e1-8039-0019bb2963f4.html |title=White Bear native earns elite military post|date=March 6, 2012|publisher=White Bear Press|access-date=13 May 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.stripes.com/news/us/army-to-promote-son-of-hawaii-born-wwii-vet-1.429696 |title=Army to promote son of Hawaii-born WWII vet|date=September 17, 2016|work=Stars and Stripes |access-date=13 May 2017}} He is married to Susan S. (née Sternberg),{{rp|2}} and has four (4) children. Nakasone attended St. John's University, where he received a commission as military intelligence officer in 1986{{Cite web| title=Select committee on intelligence | url=https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/q-pnakasone-031518.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918065620/https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/q-pnakasone-031518.pdf | archive-date=2018-09-18}} through the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. Nakasone also attended the University of Southern California earning a M.S. in Systems Management,{{cite web |url=https://digitallibrary.usc.edu/C.aspx?VP3=pdfviewer&rid=2A3BF1XAO7TJ4&search=Paul+Nakasone|title=Commencement program, USC (106th: 1989: Alumni Memorial Park)|work=United States Army |access-date=20 Nov 2023}}

the National Defense Intelligence College, and the United States Army War College, earning Master's degrees from those institutions as well.{{cite web |url=http://www.carlisle.army.mil/banner/article.cfm?id=2431|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020145417/http://www.carlisle.army.mil/banner/article.cfm?id=2431|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 October 2016|title=USAWC in the news March 27|work=United States Army |access-date=13 May 2017}} He also is a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College.

File:Paul M. Nakasone Casing 2nd Army Colors 2.jpg the Second Army's colors in 2017 at its inactivation ceremony]]

Nakasone has commanded at the company, battalion, and brigade levels. He also served in foreign assignments in Iraq, Afghanistan and Korea, and has served as a senior intelligence officer at the battalion, division, and corps levels. Nakasone served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff as deputy director for trans-regional policy in 2012 when he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and previously served as a staff officer for General Keith B. Alexander.{{cite web|url=https://www.minnpost.com/political-agenda/2011/06/white-bear-native-col-paul-nakasone-awaiting-senate-confirmation-army-gener|title=White Bear native Col. Paul Nakasone awaiting Senate confirmation as Army general |last1=Kimball |first1=Joe|date=June 7, 2011|publisher=Minneapolis Post|access-date=13 May 2017}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://csbsju.edu/news/nakasone|title=Cyberspace watchdog – SJU graduate heads up important military command|last1=Killeen|first1=Mike|date=December 11, 2015|access-date=13 May 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/114th-congress/1618|title=PN1618 – Nomination of Maj. Gen. Paul M. Nakasone for Army, 114th Congress (2015–2016)|date=15 September 2016|publisher=United States Congress|access-date=13 May 2017}}{{cite news|url=http://www.afcea.org/content/?q=nakasone-assigned-cyber-national-mission-force|title=Nakasone Assigned to Cyber National Mission Force|newspaper=Afcea International |date=June 19, 2014 |publisher=Signal Magazine|access-date=13 May 2017}} 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. On 14 October 2016, he took command of the United States Second Army and United States Army Cyber Command. Nakasone was also given control of United States Cyber Command's Joint Task Force-ARES, a task-force designed to coordinate electronic counter-terrorist activities against the Islamic State.{{cite web|url=http://www.executivegov.com/2016/10/lt-gen-paul-nakasone-takes-charge-of-army-cyber-command/|title=Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone Takes Charge of Army Cyber Command|last1=Hoffman|first1=Mary-Louise|date=October 19, 2016 |publisher=ExecutiveGov|access-date=13 May 2017}} 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 January 2018, it was reported that Nakasone was on the list of potential replacements for outgoing NSA Director Michael S. Rogers.{{cite news|author1=Martin Matishak|author2=Cory Bennet|title=NSA's Rogers to retire this spring|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/05/nsa-mike-rogers-to-retire-267634|work=Politico|date=January 5, 2018}} In February 2018, he was nominated for promotion to general.{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/115th-congress/1594|title=PN1594 – Nomination of Lt. Gen. Paul M. Nakasone for Army, 115th Congress (2017–2018)|publisher=United States Congress|access-date=9 February 2017}} 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.{{cite news|author1=Martin Matishak|title=Senate confirms Trump's pick for NSA, Cyber Command|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/24/paul-nakasone-nsa-cyber-command-547645|work=Politico|date=April 24, 2018}} 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.{{Cite web |last1=Matichak |first1=Martin |last2=Temple-Raston |first2=Dina |date=2022-05-05 |title=Nakasone has been asked to remain at helm of NSA, Cyber Command |url=https://therecord.media/nakasone-to-remain-at-helm-of-nsa-cyber-command-for-at-least-one-more-year/ |access-date=2022-06-07 |website=The Record by Recorded Future |language=en}} 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,{{Cite news |last=Barnes |first=Julian E. |date=2021-12-05 |title=U.S. Military Has Acted Against Ransomware Groups, General Acknowledges |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/05/us/politics/us-military-ransomware-cyber-command.html |access-date=2022-06-11 |issn=0362-4331}} as well as against Russian targets associated with the invasion of Ukraine.{{Cite web |last=Kagubare |first=Ines |date=2022-06-01 |title=Cyber Command chief confirms US took part in offensive cyber operations |url=https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/3508639-cyber-command-chief-confirms-us-took-part-in-offensive-cyber-operations/ |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}

Nakasone retired from the military on 1 February 2024.{{Cite web |title=GEN Nakasone's Legacy: Defending the Nation and Securing the Future through People and Partnerships |url=https://www.nsa.gov/Farewell-General-Nakasone |access-date=2024-06-03}} 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.{{Cite news |last=Nakasone |first=Paul |date=2024-02-14 |title=I was head of the NSA. In a world of threats, this is my biggest worry. |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/02/14/nsa-director-paul-nakasone-section-702-fisa/ |access-date=2024-06-03}} 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 for National Defense and Global Security. Nakasone will also hold a Research Professorship within Vanderbilt's School of Engineering, as well as serving as special advisor to the chancellor.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-08 |title=Retired General Paul Nakasone named founding director of Institute for National Defense and Global Security| url=https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2024/05/08/gen-paul-nakasone-named-founding-director-of-institute-for-national-defense-and-global-security/ |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=Vanderbilt University Research News}} Also in May 2024, Nakasone was elected to the board of trustees of Saint John's University, his alma mater.{{Cite web |last=Rajkowski |first=Frank |date=2024-05-20 |title=Retired General Paul Nakasone '86 staying busy with new position at Vanderbilt, posthumous Purple Heart presentation |url=https://www.csbsju.edu/news/gen-nakasone-new-position |access-date=2024-06-09}} Nakasone was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Dartmouth College in 9 June 2024.{{Cite web |title=Announcing the 2024 Honorary Degree Recipients |url=https://home.dartmouth.edu/news/2024/04/announcing-2024-honorary-degree-recipients |access-date=June 10, 2024 |website=Dartmouth.edu |date=April 11, 2024 }}

Nakasone joined the board of OpenAI in June 2024.{{Cite web |last=Peters |first=Jay |date=2024-06-13 |title=Former head of NSA joins OpenAI board |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/13/24178079/openai-board-paul-nakasone-nsa-safety |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=The Verge |language=en}}

In June 2025, Nakasone spoke at the WORLD.MINDS meeting in Washington DC about China, AI and the transatlantic relationship.{{Cite web |last=Wren |first=Adam |date=2025-06-07 |title=Playbook: The Great Un-Awokening |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2025/06/07/the-great-un-awokening-00393429 |access-date=2025-06-11 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}

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Category:1963 births

Category:American people of Okinawan descent

Category:American military personnel of Japanese descent

Category:College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University alumni

Category:Directors of the National Security Agency

Category:Honorary officers of the Order of Australia

Category:Living people

Category:National Intelligence University alumni

Category:Military personnel from Saint Paul, Minnesota

Category:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal

Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit

Category:United States Army War College alumni

Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni

Category:United States Army generals

Category:University of Southern California alumni

Category:Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal

Category:Grand Cordons of the Order of the Rising Sun

Category:Recipients of the Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera)