Trump Fires 4-star General Leading the NSA, US Cyber Command

The United States Department of Defense issuesd the following simple announcement on the termination of a 4 Star General from the head of the NSA and Cyber Command...

"The Defense Department thanks General Timothy Haugh for his decades of service to our nation, culminating as Commander, U.S. Cyber Command and Director, National Security Agency. We wish him and his family well."

Also fired was Haugh’s civilian deputy at the NSA, Wendy Noble. The NSA notified congressional leadership and top lawmakers of the national security committees of the firing late last week but did not give reasons, according to persons familiar with the situation who insisted on anonymity to discuss the matter.

Noble has been reassigned to the office of the defense undersecretary for intelligence.

The move has triggered sharp criticism from members of Congress and demands for an immediate explanation. And it marks the latest dismissal of national security officials by Trump at a time when his Republican administration faces criticism over his failure to take any action against other key leaders’ use of an unclassified Signal messaging chat that included The Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg to discuss plans for a military strike.

A week later, and it is still unclear who now if anyone is in charge of the NSA and the Cyber Command.

Haugh’s firing sets off a 60-day process. Unless he is moved to another three- or four-star job in 60 days he would automatically revert to a two-star.

Any new high-level job would be unlikely since that would require a nomination from Trump, who just fired him. As a result, Haugh, who was confirmed for the NSA job in a unanimous Senate vote in December 2023, would likely retire.

The General's official biography shows an accomplished leader...

Gen. Timothy D. Haugh was the Commander, U.S. Cyber Command and Director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.

Gen. Haugh received his commission in 1991 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at Lehigh University. Gen. Haugh has commanded at the squadron, group, wing, numbered air force and joint levels. He served on staffs at major command, agency and combatant command headquarters.

EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Arts, Russian Studies, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa.
1999 Master of Science, Telecommunications, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas
2005 Master of Science, Joint Information Operations, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
2010 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy with a concentration in Information Operations, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1992–December 1992, Student, Signals Intelligence Officer Course, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas
2. January 1993–September 1995, Flight Commander, 301st Intelligence Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan
3. October 1995–July 1998, Commander, Detachment 2, 544th Intelligence Group, Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico
4. August 1998–June 2001, Chief, Information Operations Technology Integration, Headquarters Air Intelligence Agency, Kelly AFB, Texas
5. June 2001–June 2004, Information Operations Project Officer, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
6. July 2004–September 2005, Student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
7. September 2005–June 2007, Director of Intelligence, Air Force Special Operations Forces, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
8. June 2007–June 2009, Commander, 315th Network Warfare Squadron, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
9. July 2009–June 2010, Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
10. June 2010–June 2011, Chief, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Division, 609th Air Operations Center, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
11. July 2011–July 2013, Commander, 318th Information Operations Group, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
12. July 2013–June 2014, Assistant Vice Commander, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Agency, JB San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
13. June 2014–May 2016, Commander, 480th ISR Wing, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
14. June 2016–June 2017, Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force-Ares, U.S. Cyber Command, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
15. June 2017–June 2018, Director of Intelligence, U.S. Cyber Command, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
16. June 2018–August 2019, Commander, Cyber National Mission Force, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
17. August 2019–October 2019, Commander, Twenty-Fifth Air Force, JB San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
18. October 2019–August 2022, Commander, Sixteenth Air Force; Commander, Air Forces Cyber, and Commander, Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber, JB San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
19. August 2022–February 2024, Deputy Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
20. February 2024–present, Commander, U.S. Cyber Command and Director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service, Fort George G. Meade, Md.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2001–June 2004, Information Operations Project Officer, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a major
2. June 2007–June 2009, Commander, 315th Network Warfare Squadron, Fort George G. Meade, Md., as a lieutenant colonel
3. June 2010–June 2011, Chief, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Division, 609th Air Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, U.S. Central Command, as a colonel
4. June 2017–June 2018, Director of Intelligence, U.S. Cyber Command, Fort George G. Meade, Md., as a brigadier general
5. June 2018–August 2019, Commander, Cyber National Mission Force, Fort George G. Meade, Md., as a brigadier general
6. August 2022–February 2024, Deputy Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, Fort George G. Meade, Md., as a lieutenant general
7. February 2024–present, Commander, U.S. Cyber Command and Director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service, Fort George G. Meade, Md., as a general

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal

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