The Trump administration dismissed Timothy Haugh, the head of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Cyber Command, as reported by multiple news outlets overnight leading into Friday.
Haugh, a long-serving military official, had led the NSA—the primary U.S. agency for wiretapping and intelligence gathering—for just over a year following his appointment in February 2024 after the retirement of his predecessor. In addition to his role at the NSA, Haugh was responsible for overseeing Cyber Command, which conducts offensive cyber operations against adversaries of the United States.
The Washington Post and The New York Times stated that the decision to remove Haugh followed advocacy by right-wing activist Laura Loomer, who called for the dismissal of Haugh and several other national security officials during a meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Thursday.
Wendy Noble, who served as the NSA’s deputy director and was its highest-ranking civilian leader, was also dismissed, according to reports.
There is currently no clear information regarding who is managing the NSA and Cyber Command following Haugh’s removal.
The White House has yet to provide a comment explaining the reasons behind Haugh’s dismissal.
Eddie Bennett, a spokesperson for the NSA, redirected inquiries to the Department of Defense, under which the NSA operates. A Department of Defense spokesperson, who remained unnamed, told TechCrunch that although they acknowledge the reports, they have no information to share at the moment but will update when more details are available.
The dismissal surprised senior lawmakers who supervise the agency. Mark Warner, a Democratic senator from Virginia and vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, expressed shock at Haugh’s removal. Warner highlighted Haugh’s three-decade service to the country and questioned the decision, especially amid increasing cyber threats exemplified by previous cyberattacks from China.
Warner also rebuked the Trump administration for dismissing Haugh while not holding any team members accountable for allegedly sharing classified information about airstrikes in Yemen via a Signal messaging group, which inadvertently included a journalist.
Democratic Congressman Jim Himes, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, expressed his deep concern over the dismissal of Haugh.
In March, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, Elon Musk, who leads the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, met with Haugh at NSA’s headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland, to align NSA priorities with the administration’s goals. Musk had previously advocated for a revamp of the spy agency but did not provide specific plans.
