US President Donald Trump has dismissed General Timothy Haugh, director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and head of US Cyber Command, as part of a sweeping overhaul of his national security team. Along with Haugh, his deputy Wendy Noble was also removed from her post, sources confirmed.
The purge extended to more than a dozen staff members from the White House’s National Security Council (NSC), including four senior directors. Among them was the entire International Organization (IO) Directorate, which manages relationships with bodies like the United Nations and the G7.
No official reason given, but loyalty concerns loom
Though the administration has not released a formal explanation, the mass dismissals reportedly followed an Oval Office meeting between Trump and far-right activist Laura Loomer. Loomer later claimed on X.com that she had handed Trump a list of officials she believed were disloyal to him.
The White House declined to comment, and the Pentagon has yet to respond. However, Trump spoke generally about staffing while aboard Air Force One, saying, “We’re always going to let go of people – people we don’t like or people that take advantage of, or people that may have loyalties to someone else.”
Cyber Command deputy steps in as acting NSA chief
Following Haugh’s dismissal, William Hartmann, deputy at US Cyber Command, was appointed acting NSA director. Sheila Thomas, formerly the executive director at the NSA, will serve as acting deputy director. Meanwhile, Noble has been reassigned to the Pentagon’s office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence.
Health security team also impacted
The shake-up also hit the NSC’s health security and biodefense directorate. Directors Daniel Gastfriend and Tim Sheeran were among those let go, further indicating the wide scope of the reorganization.
Democrats voice alarm over national security risks
Several Democratic lawmakers expressed concern over the mass firings. Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut criticized the move, saying, “I have known General Haugh to be an honest and forthright leader who followed the law and put national security first – I fear those are precisely the qualities that could lead to his firing in this Administration.”
Sen. Mark Warner, Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, added, “It is astonishing, too, that President Trump would fire the nonpartisan, experienced leader of the National Security Agency while still failing to hold any member of his team accountable for leaking classified information on a commercial messaging app.”
Ongoing shake-ups in military leadership
Since starting his second term on January 20, Trump has removed several top officials, including the unprecedented dismissal of General C.Q. Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and five other senior military leaders in February.
Elon Musk, who is heading the Trump administration’s federal workforce restructuring, reportedly visited the NSA last month and met with General Haugh ahead of the leadership change.
The NSA, a critical component of America’s intelligence infrastructure, plays a central role in national security through surveillance, intelligence analysis, and cyber operations, both offensive and defensive, under the oversight of US Cyber Command.
