US Cyber Command, NSA Chief Gen. Timothy Haugh ousted by Trump admin

Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh, Commander of U.S. Cyber Command and Director of National Security Agency, gives his opening remarks for the U.S. Cyber Command Legal Conference at Joint Base Andrews, MD.
(CYBERCOM Leadership photo by Skyler Wilson)

WASHINGTON — The head of US Cyber Command and Director of the National Security Agency (NSA), Gen. Timothy Haugh, was ousted from his post Thursday evening, Breaking Defense has confirmed. 

Haugh, who took his position as head of CYBERCOM and the NSA in February of 2024, was fired by the Trump administration along with his deputy Wendy Noble. The reason for Haugh’s firing is unclear. Asked for comment, the NSA deferred to the Pentagon, where a spokesperson said “We’ve seen the reports but have nothing to offer at this time. We will provide more information when it becomes available.”

However, an NSA spokesperson confirmed to Breaking Defense that Lt. Gen William Hartman, who served as Haugh’s deputy at Cyber Command, will take over Haugh’s CYBERCOM duties. 

According to the The Washington Post, which first reported the news, Noble was reassigned to a position within the Defense Department’s Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security. The Post also reported that Sheila Thomas, NSA’s deputy director, will assume Haugh’s’ NSA responsibilities — a situation that, if left to linger, could serve as a de facto decoupling of the NSA/CYBERCOM assignment. 

In recent months, reports circulated detailing President Donald Trump’s potential plans to split the “dual hat” arrangement between CYBERCOM and the NSA. 

Democrats were quick to condemn the firings. Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, posted on social media platform X, “At a time when the United States is facing unprecedented cyber threats, as the Salt Typhoon cyberattack from China has so clearly underscored, how does firing him make Americans any safer?

Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, took to Facebook say he was “deeply disturbed by the decision.” 

Haugh joined the Air Force in 1992 and eventually served as deputy commander of CYBERCOM until former President Joe Biden picked him to lead CYBERCOM and the NSA last February. 

Haugh and Noble’s dismissals come after the firings of a handful of aides on the White House’s National Security Council staff. According to multiple reports, those firings were driven by Laura Loomer, a right-wing activist and 9/11 conspiracy theorist who recently met with Trump. The New York Times reported today that Loomer was also the driving influence behind firing Haugh. 

After the news broke, Loomer posted on X, stating “NSA Director Tim Haugh and his deputy Wendy Noble have been disloyal to President Trump. That is why they have been fired.

“As a Biden appointee, General Haugh had no place serving in the Trump admin given the fact that he was HAND PICKED by General Milley, who was accused of committing treason by President Trump. Why would we want an NSA Director who was referred to Biden after being hand selected by Milley, who told China he would side with them over Trump!?!?”