President Donald Trump reportedly will nominate Sean Cairncross, former chief operating officer of the Republican National Committee (RNC), as the new head of the Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD), according to multiple reports.
Cairncross’s name apparently was mentioned in a list of planned White House nominees for various posts in the administration obtained by Politico, Axios, and other media outlets.
As national cyber director, Cairncross will play a key role in developing and shaping US cybersecurity policies in the new administration.
The ONCD serves as one of the principal advisers to the president on cybersecurity matters. Unlike the US Cybersecurity and Information Security Agency (CISA), which handles operational cybersecurity and directly engages with federal agencies, ONCD’s primary mission is to develop a high-level, whole-of-nation cybersecurity strategy. Among other things, the ONCD led the development of President Joe Biden’s National Cybersecurity Strategy of March 2023.
Influential Role
In his new role, Cairncross would be responsible for coordinating national cybersecurity policy, advising the president on cyber threats, and ensuring a unified federal…
