WASHINGTON — Prime congressional Democrats on Thursday protested the reported firing of Gen. Tim Haugh as director of the National Security Agency, with one lawmaker saying the choice “makes all of us much less protected.”
The Washington Publish reported late Thursday that Haugh and his civilian deputy on the NSA, Wendy Noble, had been dismissed from these roles. Haugh additionally headed U.S. Cyber Command, which coordinates the Pentagon’s cybersecurity operations. The Publish report cited two present U.S. officers and one former U.S. official who requested anonymity.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, stated in an announcement: “Common Haugh has served our nation in uniform, with honor and distinction, for greater than 30 years. At a time when the US is dealing with unprecedented cyber threats, … how does firing him make Individuals any safer?”
Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the rating member on the Home Intelligence Committee, stated he was “deeply disturbed by the choice.”
“I’ve recognized Common Haugh to be an trustworthy and forthright chief who adopted the legislation and put nationwide safety first – I concern these are exactly the qualities that would result in his firing on this Administration,” Himes added. “The Intelligence Committee and the American individuals want a right away clarification for this determination, which makes all of us much less protected.”
Haugh met final month with Elon Musk, whose Division of Authorities Effectivity has roiled the federal authorities by slashing personnel and budgets at dozens of businesses. In an announcement, the NSA stated the assembly was meant to make sure each organizations are “aligned” with the brand new administration’s priorities.
Haugh had led each the NSA and Cyber Command since 2023. Each departments play main roles within the nation’s cybersecurity. The NSA additionally helps the navy and different nationwide safety businesses by accumulating and analyzing an enormous quantity of knowledge and data globally.
Cyber Command is named America’s first line of protection in our on-line world and likewise plans offensive cyberoperations for potential use towards adversaries. Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth not too long ago ordered the workplace to pause some offensive cyberoperations towards Russia, in one other signal of how Trump’s administration is reworking the work of the nation’s intelligence neighborhood.
