7 hours ago
4
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has abruptly fired the director of national security agency (NSA), according to US officials and members of Congress, but White House and the Pentagon have provided no reasons for the move.
Senior military leaders were informed Thursday of the firing of
Air Force Gen. Tim Haugh
, who also oversaw the Pentagon's Cyber Command. They received no advance notice about the decision to remove a four-star general with a 33-year career in intelligence and cyber operations, officials said.
Also fired was Haugh's civilian deputy at the NSA, Wendy Noble. Far-right activist Laura Loomer appeared to take credit, saying she raised had concerns to Trump about the loyalty of the NSA chief, a Biden nominee, to the president.
Sen Jack Reed, a Democrat, said Trump "has given a priceless gift to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea by purging competence from our national security leadership." Sen Mark Warner (D), said the US was "facing unprecedented cyber threats" and asked how firing Haugh makes American safer. Trump hasn't commented on Haugh or Noble, but he dismissed the firings as normal.
