NSA Director and Deputy Reportedly Dismissed: What We Know
April 4, 2025
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National Security Agency (NSA) Director Timothy Haugh and his civilian deputy Wendy Noble were dismissed from their positions Thursday, according to multiple outlets.
Newsweek reached out to the NSA via online form early Friday morning for comment.
Why It Matters
The firings come on the heels of several officials from the White House National Security Council (NSC) being fired on Thursday after President Donald Trump met with conservative far-right activist Laura Loomer.
The high-level shake-ups also arrived after the administration has faced bipartisan heat following national security adviser Mike Waltz and other Trump brass holding a conversation that included a journalist in a chat group on the encrypted app Signal regarding military plans.
Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have faced calls for resignation amid the fallout, but Trump has come to their defense repeatedly. The president also said he was interested in looking into the Signal incident and tasked Waltz with the follow-up.
What To Know
According to NBC News citing one Department of Defense official and three additional anonymous sources, the reason for the dismissals is not immediately known.
Haugh, an Air Force general, has led the NSA and Cyber Command since 2023, while Noble served as the senior civilian official at the agency, the Associated Press reports.
NBC News notes that Haugh and Nobel are career officials with decades of experience in intelligence.
The Washington Post was the first to report on their dismissals.
Then-National Security Agency Director General Timothy Haugh speaks during a Senate Committee on Intelligence Hearing on March 25 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Then-National Security Agency Director General Timothy Haugh speaks during a Senate Committee on Intelligence Hearing on March 25 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
What People Are Saying
Democratic Representative Jim Himes of Connecticut posted to X, formerly Twitter, reacting to the news: “I am deeply disturbed by the decision to remove General Haugh as Director of the National Security Agency. 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. The Intelligence Committee and the American people need an immediate explanation for this decision, which makes all of us less safe.”
Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Virginia also posted to X on Thursday night: “General Haugh has served our country in uniform, with honor and distinction, for more than 30 years. 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?”
What Happens Next
It was unknown to Newsweek at the time of publication who will be appointed interim leader of the NSA after the shake-up.
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