Four Former NSA Directors Warn America's Cyber Offensive Edge Is Slipping as AI and China Threats Accelerate

Four former National Security Agency directors — Gens. Keith Alexander, Mike Rogers, Paul Nakasone, and Tim Haugh — warned at RSAC 2026 that the United States is losing its offensive edge in cyberspace amid accelerating threats from AI, China, and cybercriminals.

The Warning

Speaking at the RSA Conference in San Francisco, the four retired four-star generals and former U.S. Cyber Command leaders expressed varying degrees of alarm:

Gen. Paul Nakasone (former NSA/Cyber Command)

• "I think we've become numb to it. We continue to see these different intrusions, and the scale is just incredible."
• Warned of brain drain across the U.S. government cybersecurity workforce
• Said the U.S. has "lost ground" in outreach to the private sector through CISA, JCDC, and NSA's Cybersecurity Collaboration Center

Adm. Mike Rogers (former NSA/Cyber Command)

• "I see a government unwilling to expend political capital to drive fundamental change in cyber."
• Criticized the lack of a single federal privacy framework
• "We're the largest economy in the world. We don't have a single major piece of cyber legislation."

Gen. Keith Alexander (first Cyber Command chief)

• Acknowledged key players remain committed
• Expressed concern about sustaining momentum

Key Themes

1. Systemic numbness: Repeated breaches have desensitized the public and policymakers
2. Government brain drain: CISA and other agencies losing experienced personnel
3. Missing legislation: No comprehensive federal privacy law or cyber legislation
4. China and AI: Dual accelerating threats testing U.S. resolve
5. Public-private divide: Deteriorating collaboration between government and industry