As part of a broader purge of officials considered disloyal to his administration, President Donald Trump fired top security official General Timothy Haugh and reassigned his deputy, Wendy Noble.
The move signals the president’s determination to ensure America’s intelligence agencies align with his mission to put America first.
The White House announced Haugh’s termination and removal from his dual roles as National Security Agency Director and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command.
Haugh, who Joe Biden appointed in February 2024, was one of the few Biden holdovers in the Trump administration.
His deputy, Wendy Noble, was reassigned to the office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence.
Army Lt. Gen. William Hartman will temporarily lead both Cyber Command and the NSA, while Sheila Thomas will replace Noble as the NSA’s executive director.
The changes come as President Trump continues to reshape national security leadership with officials loyal to his administration’s vision.
The firings follow a broader shakeup within Trump’s national security apparatus.
The president has been clear about his intentions to remove staff he considers disloyal to his administration, and additional dismissals have been reported at the National Security Council.
“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,” President Donald Trump stated.
While liberal media outlets have speculated that activist Laura Loomer influenced the firings by providing President Trump with a list of disloyal NSC staff, the president denied her direct involvement in the dismissals.
Nevertheless, the president has acknowledged Loomer’s recommendations and described her as a “great patriot.”
As expected, Democrats have rushed to criticize the president’s decision. Senator Mark Warner and Representative Jim Himes expressed concern over the firings, claiming they pose risks to national security.
Warner particularly highlighted the timing amid cyber threats like the Salt Typhoon cyberattack from China.
“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,” Rep. Jim Himes claimed.
Trump supporters see the firings differently, viewing them as necessary steps to ensure that America’s intelligence community is aligned with the president’s America First agenda.
The NSA, a high-tech agency specializing in signals intelligence and cyber operations, plays a critical role in national defense and requires leadership that fully supports the administration’s priorities.
Notably, Trump advisor Elon Musk recently visited NSA headquarters.
This suggests the administration remains focused on ensuring that technological and intelligence agencies operate per the president’s vision for American security and prosperity.
