The Trump administration has dismissed General Timothy Haugh, the head of both the National Security Agency (NSA) and US Cyber Command, according to CBS, the BBC's US partner.
This move comes amid what appears to be a broader purge of senior security officials within the NSA and the White House. Democrats have expressed strong concerns, stating that this decision endangers national security.
The reasons behind General Haugh's removal are unclear, but it follows a meeting between President Trump and far-right activist Laura Loomer on Wednesday. Loomer reportedly pressured Trump to fire certain staff members whom she believed did not support his agenda. Loomer claimed on social media that both Haugh and his deputy, Wendy Noble—who was also reportedly dismissed—were disloyal to Trump, leading to their firings.
Before the dismissals were made public, Trump told reporters that he would remove any staff deemed disloyal. “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,” he stated while aboard Air Force One.
Reports soon emerged of at least three other White House National Security Council (NSC) officials also being fired, though Trump did not confirm their identities. The NSA referred inquiries to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, which acknowledged the reports but did not offer further comments.
Top Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees, including Rep. Jim Himes and Sen. Mark Warner, both expressed alarm over Haugh’s removal. Himes, in particular, said he was "deeply disturbed" by the decision, emphasizing that Haugh had always been an honest and national security-focused leader. He feared these qualities might have led to Haugh's dismissal.
Among the others let go from the NSC were Brian Walsh, a director for intelligence; Thomas Boodry, a senior director for legislative affairs; and David Feith, a senior director handling technology and national security. It is unclear if these firings were related to Haugh’s removal.
These dismissals follow a significant controversy last month when senior NSC officials accidentally added a journalist to a Signal chat about military operations in Yemen. While Haugh was not involved in the chat, he testified about the incident in Congress last week. The connection between this incident and the recent firings remains uncertain, though Trump has supported National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who took responsibility for the mistake.
A source close to the situation told CBS that the Signal controversy may have triggered an investigation into staff members suspected of not fully aligning with Trump, with Loomer’s meeting solidifying the fate of those dismissed.
On Thursday, while en route to Miami, Trump praised Loomer, calling her a “great patriot” and a “very strong person,” adding, “I listen to everybody and then I make a decision.” Loomer herself told the BBC that it would be "inappropriate" to disclose details about her meeting with Trump but said she presented him with her findings and would continue supporting his agenda.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was involved in the Signal incident, is undergoing an internal review regarding his use of the app and whether he followed departmental policies.
This all occurs against a backdrop of broader changes in the government, with Trump removing several inspectors general and replacing them with acting leaders in various departments, including defense, commerce, labor, and health.
When asked about the matter on Friday, Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that no formal investigation had been referred to her office, noting that intelligence agencies were handling the review internally.
