Firing the NSA director on a conspiracy theorist's advice

Editor's note: reporting documents that the NSA director was fired after an outside activist called him disloyal, but no official finding establishes that the firing was retaliatory or unlawful.

On the evening of April 3, 2025, the administration removed Gen. Timothy Haugh, who had led both the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command since February 2024, along with NSA Deputy Director Wendy Noble, the agency's senior civilian leader. The Pentagon's only statement thanked Haugh for his service and gave no reason. Officials and analysts noted how rare it is for a sitting NSA director to be removed mid-term absent a scandal or a loss of confidence.

Far-right activist Laura Loomer, who had met Trump in the Oval Office the previous day and who has promoted the false claim that the September 11 attacks were an inside job, wrote on X that Haugh and Noble 'have been disloyal to President Trump' and 'that is why they have been fired,' faulting them as Biden appointees. The removals came the same day roughly six National Security Council officials were fired following Loomer's visit, and the New York Times reported she was the driving influence behind Haugh's ouster.

The firings drew criticism from lawmakers of both parties, who noted Haugh had testified days earlier about the Signal leak and that no reason was given for his removal. Sen. Mark Warner called it 'astonishing' that Trump would fire the NSA's nonpartisan leader while holding no one accountable for the Signal breach, 'even as he apparently takes staffing direction on national security from a discredited conspiracy theorist in the Oval Office.' Sen. Jack Reed warned that firing officers 'as a political loyalty test' sends 'a chilling message throughout the ranks.'