Democrats rip reported National Security Agency director's firing

Top Democrats on Capitol Hill have slammed the reported firing of National Security Agency Director Gen. Timothy Haugh and other top agency staffers, questioning how the dismissals will make the U.S. safer.

Haugh, who also leads the U.S. Cyber Command, has more than 30 years of experience in the U.S. Air Force.

NSA civilian deputy Wendy Noble, who has worked at the agency since the late 1980s, was also ousted on Thursday. The Washington Post, which first reported on Noble's firing, cited one former and two current officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The terminations were later confirmed by other outlets.

Democratic lawmakers who serve on the House and Senate Intelligence Committees condemned the move.

“General Haugh has served our country in uniform, with honor and distinction, for more than 30 years,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), ranking member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, wrote Thursday in a post on social platform X.

He added, “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?” 

Warner invoked the recent Signal app breach among top Trump administration officials in his criticism. The Virginia Democrat said it was “astonishing” that President Trump would get rid of a “nonpartisan, experienced leader” of the NSA, but is "failing to hold any member of his team accountable for leaking classified information on a commercial messaging app — even as he apparently takes staffing direction on national security from a discredited conspiracy theorist in the Oval Office.”

Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), Warner's counterpart on the House Intelligence Committee, said he was "deeply disturbed" by Haugh's apparent ousting, praising the veteran as an "honest and forthright leader."

“The Intelligence Committee and the American people need an immediate explanation for this decision, which makes all of us less safe,” Himes wrote Thursday online.

The critique comes after Trump fired at least three senior staffers and two junior officials at the White House National Security Council (NSC) — a day after meeting with far-right activist Laura Loomer. She argued that some within the NSC are not sufficiently loyal to his agenda.

The three NSC staffers fired Thursday were Brian Walsh, senior director of intelligence; Thomas Boodry, senior director of legislative affairs; and David Geuth, senior director of technology and national security. 

Loomer also pressed Trump — alongside chief of staff Susie Wiles and national security adviser Mike Waltz — to terminate Haugh and Noble.

“General Haugh had no place serving in the Trump admin given the fact that he was HAND PICKED by General [Mark] Milley, who was accused of committing treason by President Trump,” the activist wrote early Friday morning on X.

She added, "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!?!?” 

Trump told reporters Thursday that he “sometimes” takes Loomer’s advice but shot down the idea that she was responsible for the latest axing.

“Laura Loomer is a great patriot. She’s a very strong person,” he said.

“She makes recommendations on things and people, and sometimes I listen to those recommendations, like I do with everybody,” the president added. “I listen to everybody, and then I make a decision.”

Trump’s senior adviser and tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has overseen the Department of Government Efficiency, met with Haugh at the NSA’s headquarters Fort Meade, Md., in mid-March, a week after he argued that the spy agency needs to be overhauled.