NSA and US Cyber Command chief ousted by Trump after activist meeting, sparking backlash from lawmakers

Timothy D. Haugh - File Image

General Timothy D. Haugh, the head of both the National Security Agency and US Cyber Command, was abruptly removed from his position Thursday in a move that shocked intelligence officials and drew strong condemnation from top Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees, the New York Times reported.

Removal tied to Oval Office meeting with far-right activist According to a US official, the firing followed a meeting between President Donald Trump and far-right activist Laura Loomer, who reportedly pushed for Haugh’s removal. Trump then directed US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to carry out the dismissal. The administration allegedly viewed Haugh as too slow in dismantling diversity programs and as being too closely associated with Biden-era policies.

Top lawmakers demand answers Senator Mark Warner and Representative Jim Himes slammed the decision. Himes called Haugh “an honest and forthright leader” and suggested those very traits may have led to his ouster. Warner warned that removing such a “nonpartisan, experienced leader” does nothing to improve national security and criticized the administration for politicizing key intelligence roles.

Leadership shake-up continues across defence and intelligence Haugh's removal comes amid a wave of leadership purges under Trump and Hegseth, including the recent firings of Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., Navy Chief Adm. Lisa Franchetti, and Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan. Haugh’s deputy at NSA, Wendy Noble, was also removed without explanation.

Concerns over politicization and cybersecurity strategy Haugh, appointed during the Biden administration, was considered a cautious public communicator and was perceived as out of step with the Trump team’s push for aggressive cyber operations targeting China. Lt. Gen. William J. Hartman, Haugh’s deputy at Cyber Command, will serve as acting NSA director for now.

Critics decry chaotic decision-making Warner also criticised the broader dysfunction at the White House, citing sensitive materials being shared over insecure messaging apps and key personnel changes driven by external voices like Loomer. The sudden removal of Haugh, a career officer, adds to growing concerns over the Trump administration’s politicisation of national security agencies.