Trump dismisses the director of the National Security Agency and Cyber Command.
The firing of Haugh has taken high lawmakers by surprise.
The administration of former President Trump has dismissed Timothy Haugh, who was leading the National Security Agency (NSA) and U.S. Cyber Command, several news outlets reported. Haugh, a career military officer, had held the position of NSA director, the primary surveillance and intelligence agency in the United States, for just over a year, having been appointed in February 2024 following the retirement of his predecessor. He was also in charge of Cyber Command, a military unit responsible for carrying out offensive cyber operations against U.S. adversaries.
The news was initially reported by The Washington Post and The New York Times, which stated that the decision to dismiss Haugh came after right-wing activist Laura Loomer called for his firing, along with that of other national security officials, during a meeting with former President Trump in the Oval Office. Wendy Noble, the NSA's deputy director and the agency's top civilian leader, was also reported to have been fired. It is currently unclear who is leading the NSA and Cyber Command following Haugh's departure.
A White House spokesperson did not provide immediate comments on the reasons behind the dismissal. Eddie Bennett, a spokesperson for the NSA, redirected inquiries to the Department of Defense. An unnamed representative from that department stated that they had "seen the reports, but do not have anything to add at this time" and promised to provide additional information when possible.
The decision to fire one of the country's top intelligence officials surprised lawmakers overseeing the agency. In a statement, Democratic Senator Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, described the news of Haugh's dismissal as "stunning." Warner noted that Haugh had served the nation for over 30 years with honor and distinction, questioning how his dismissal could make Americans safer at a time of unprecedented cyber threats, citing China's Salt Typhoon cyberattack.
Furthermore, Warner criticized the Trump administration for Haugh's dismissal, while no member of his team has been held accountable for sharing classified information about airstrikes in Yemen in a Signal group chat. Meanwhile, Democratic Congressman Jim Himes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, expressed he was "deeply disturbed" by the decision to dismiss Haugh.
In March, it was reported that Elon Musk, who leads the Government Efficiency Department of the Trump administration, met with Haugh at the NSA headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland. At that time, the NSA indicated that the purpose of the meeting was to ensure that its priorities were aligned with those of the Trump administration. Musk had previously expressed the need for "reform" in the spy agency, although he did not provide specific details.