WASHINGTON—General Tim Haugh, who led the National Security Agency, was dismissed on Thursday upon instructions from the White House, as reported by individuals aware of the situation.
Haugh, who previously led U.S. Cyber Command—the military’s unit focused on conducting offensive cyber operations—was told by the White House that he was dismissed from his position, according to those individuals. They further mentioned that Wendy Noble, his civilian deputy at the National Security Agency (NSA), was also let go but has been transferred to another role within the Pentagon.
Haugh occupied one of the most crucial roles in national security within the government, tasked with supervising tens of thousands of military and civilian personnel. These individuals focus on gathering intelligence from foreign adversaries as well as protecting critical computer networks against cyber threats. It has been noted that the NSA provides much of the information included in the president’s daily briefing materials.
The causes for the dismissals were not readily ascertainable. These occurred during President Trump’s sacking of multiple individuals. National Security Council officials Following a meeting where far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer met with the president and claimed that certain officials within his administration were not adhering to his top priorities.
On early Friday, Loomer celebrated the ousting of the two officials, referring to them as "Biden holdovers." She seemed to claim responsibility for the sudden changes in a post on X.
Haugh and Noble were "disloyal to President Trump," according to Loomer, which is why they were dismissed. She expressed gratitude to Trump for his receptiveness to the background check information submitted to him.
The Senate approved Haugh to head both the NSA and Cyber Command through unanimous consent, and throughout his term, he garnered bipartisan backing on Capitol Hill.
The recent developments might be indicative of a broader strategy to divide the leadership roles between the National Security Agency (NSA) and Cyber Command, according to ex-officials. This concept had been mulled over during President Trump’s initial term. Splitting these positions—a move that has consistently garnered support across party lines in Congress yet faced opposition from numerous national security experts—could enable Trump to place a politically appointed leader atop the NSA rather than having someone with a military background in charge.
Haugh had been serving as the head of the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command for slightly over a year, taking over from Gen. Paul Nakasone.
On Friday, defense officials stated that Haugh, a four-star general with over three decades of service, was relieved of his duties as head of the Cyber Command. He will probably retire from the Air Force within the coming two months.
The lead Democrat of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Virginia Senator Mark Warner, verified Haugh’s dismissal.
"General Haugh has dedicated over three decades to serving our nation in uniform with honor and distinction," Warner stated. "Given that the U.S. is currently confronting unparalleled cyber dangers, as the recent Salt Typhoon attack from China highlighted, how dismissing him enhances American security?" Warner questioned, alluding to the widespread compromise Of U.S. telecommunications networks by hackers backed by Beijing.
On Friday, a spokesperson for the Pentagon commented regarding the dismissals stating, "Although we've noticed these reports, we currently do not have anything additional to share. Once new details become accessible, they will be provided." By early Friday, Haugh’s portrait remained displayed within the Pentagon walls.
The White House and the NSA chose not to comment and redirected inquiries to the Pentagon. Cyber Command did not reply to requests for comments. Earlier, The Cipher Brief, a news organization specializing in national security issues, had reported on these dismissals.
Haugh’s removal occurred shortly following Elon Musk's inaugural documented trip to a U.S. intelligence body as he oversees the Department of Government Efficiency, referred to as DOGE—the government initiative aimed at reducing bureaucracy. This particular visit took place at the National Security Agency’s base in Fort Meade, Maryland. federal government Officials stated back then that the meeting focused on workforce reduction and operational matters, with several participants characterizing it as a "constructive" discussion.
Senator Angus King of Maine, an independent who aligns with the Democratic Party and serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, stated in an interview that Haugh’s dismissal might prompt Trump to appoint someone at the NSA whose priority would be satisfying him rather than safeguarding national security.
"If you look at the history of this nation, many significant calamities have occurred due to manipulated intelligence, where information was distorted to align with the presidential policy objectives," King stated.
Having individuals who are solely devoted to the president rather than to the Constitution and the nation poses risks," he stated further. "This danger extends to the president himself since without accurate information and pure truths, errors will be made, which in turn could lead to severe consequences including potential loss of American lives.
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