President Donald Trump elevated the U.S. military’s Cyber Commend on Friday, putting it on the same level as other combatant commands, according to CNN. Currently Cyber Command falls under U.S. Strategic Command, which also oversees space operations, global strike and global missile defense. The change means the head of Cyber Command will eventually report directly to the secretary of defense.
Previously, Cyber Command’s focus has been on defending the military’s cyber infrastructure, but recent actions – including combating ISIS terrorists in Syria by overloading their networks and interrupting their ability to command and control forces – set the department as more of an active combatant.
The elevation will only come into full effect after the nomination and confirmation of a new four-star commander. The move will also separate Cyber Command and the NSA, so the two could work independently of each other.