Trump fires head of National Security Agency and Cyber Command

Summary

The Trump administration has fired Timothy Haugh, the head of the National Security Agency and Cyber Command, several news publications reported overnight into Friday. Haugh, a career military official, led the National Security Agency, the U.S.’ main wiretapping and intelligence gathering agency, for little more than a year after his appointment in February 2024 following his predecessor’s retirement. Haugh also oversaw Cyber Command, a military unit that conducts offensive cyber operations against U.S. adversaries. The Washington Post, which first reported the news, and The New York Times, said the firings come after right-wing activist Laura Loomer advocated for Haugh’s firing along with several other national security officials during a meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Thursday. NSA deputy director Wendy Noble, who served as the agency’s top civilian leader, was also let go, according to reports. It’s not clear who is currently overseeing the NSA and Cyber Command following Haugh’s firing. A spokesperson for The White House did not immediately comment on the reason for Haugh’s removal. Contact us securely Do you work at NSA or in government and know more? You can contact Zack Whittaker on Signal at zackwhittaker.1337 — and share documents securely with TechCrunch via SecureDrop. Eddie Bennett, a spokesperson for the National Security Agency, deferred comment to the Department of Defense, which houses the NSA. A spokesperson for the Department of Defense, who did not provide their name, told TechCrunch that the organization has “seen the reports but have nothing to offer at this time,” and that it will “provide more information when it becomes available.” The move to oust one of the country’s top intelligence officials appeared to catch senior lawmakers overseeing the agency by surprise. In a statement, Mark Warner, a Democrat senator from Virginia and vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called the news of Haugh’s firing “ast...