Trump Administration Fires NSA Director Gen. Timothy Haugh, Deputy Director Wendy Noble

The Trump administration has fired National Security Agency (NSA) Director Gen. Timothy Haugh and civilian Deputy Director Wendy Noble, a senior defense official confirmed to Fox News.

The reasons for the dismissals remain unclear. The news was first reported by The Washington Post on Thursday.

Gen. Haugh also held the position of commander of the US Cyber Command, a role from which he was also removed. Noble has been reassigned to serve in the office of the undersecretary of defense for intelligence, according to The Washington Post.

The firings prompted reactions from leading members of the intelligence committees. Sen. Mark Warner, top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, described Haugh as a “nonpartisan, experienced leader” and expressed astonishment that President Trump would fire him before holding “any member of his team accountable for leaking classified information on a commercial messaging app.”

Warner also stated, “even as he apparently takes staffing direction on national security from a discredited conspiracy theorist in the Oval Office.” Warner’s statement appears to be a reference to far-right activist Laura Loomer, who reportedly presented Trump with a list of disloyal National Security Counsel (NSC) staff members who should be fired.