Saturday, November 14, 2026 Vol. I · No. 25 · Late Edition Print size
Election 2026 495 of 504 races called See the results → The GOP Files Receipts on the Republican-run Washington · Sourced · Dated · On the record On Instagram 5.7M plays and counting @thegopfiles →
The Wire
Judge blocks Trump from closing East Potomac Park golf course for now Trump asks Supreme Court to curb judges' power to void unlawful rules nationwide On tape: Richard Blumenthal says the Trump administration let $190 million in anti-human trafficking grants lapse On tape: Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican, on the House floor: the president never asked Congress before sending troops… Massie to force new House vote to end Trump's Iran war before he leaves in January Over 200 Democrats ask appeals court to strike down VA's abortion ban for veterans Kushner says U.S. is brokering Europe-Russia talks and planning next Ukraine round Blumenthal says Lutnick 'must go' over stalled Nvidia chip blacklist for Megaspeed NBC says Democrat Mary Peltola likely to beat Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska On tape: Hakeem Jeffries: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick could face Intel Committee subpoenas over Nvidia scandal Judge blocks Trump from closing East Potomac Park golf course for now Trump asks Supreme Court to curb judges' power to void unlawful rules nationwide On tape: Richard Blumenthal says the Trump administration let $190 million in anti-human trafficking grants lapse On tape: Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican, on the House floor: the president never asked Congress before sending troops… Massie to force new House vote to end Trump's Iran war before he leaves in January Over 200 Democrats ask appeals court to strike down VA's abortion ban for veterans Kushner says U.S. is brokering Europe-Russia talks and planning next Ukraine round Blumenthal says Lutnick 'must go' over stalled Nvidia chip blacklist for Megaspeed NBC says Democrat Mary Peltola likely to beat Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska On tape: Hakeem Jeffries: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick could face Intel Committee subpoenas over Nvidia scandal
Timothy Haugh
Photo: U.S. Cyber Command, Public domain

The Administration · Out the door

Timothy Haugh

Former NSA Director Out the door

Four-star Air Force general who led the nation's largest spy agency and its military cyber force and was dismissed without explanation in April 2025, leaving both leaderless for 11 months.

Why they left: He was fired on April 3, 2025 along with his civilian deputy, Wendy Noble; the Pentagon gave no reason, and CBS News and Reuters reported it followed an Oval Office meeting in which activist Laura Loomer urged Trump to remove officials she considered disloyal. 2 3 Now: Retired from the Air Force in 2025; no current post was reported in the sources reviewed. 1

Biography

Timothy Haugh was born in Hughesville, Pennsylvania, and was commissioned through Air Force ROTC at Lehigh University in 1991. 1 A career intelligence officer, he commanded the Air Force's cyber and intelligence units and served as deputy commander of U.S. Cyber Command before taking over that command and the National Security Agency on February 2, 2024. 1

He was fired on April 3, 2025, little more than a year into the job. 2 The top Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees confirmed the dismissal and criticized it; Senator Mark Warner asked how it made Americans safer in the middle of a major Chinese hacking campaign. 2 Two sources told CBS News that his perceived closeness to retired Gen. Mark Milley counted against him. 2

The Pentagon thanked him for decades of service and gave no reason. 2 Lt. Gen. William Hartman served as acting director until the Senate confirmed Gen. Joshua Rudd on March 10, 2026. 2 3

In the job

What happened while Timothy held the post.

  1. Took command of the NSA and Cyber Command and was promoted to four-star general. 1

  2. Testified to Congress about the Signal group-chat leak involving senior officials' discussion of strikes in Yemen; he was not on the chat. 2

  3. Fired together with deputy director Wendy Noble, hours after at least six National Security Council staff members were dismissed. 2 3

  4. The Senate confirmed Gen. Joshua Rudd 71-29 to fill the post, ending the vacancy. 3

Disputes, and their side

What critics, courts or investigators have said, and the answer given. An allegation is not a finding.

  1. Laura Loomer said she had given Trump a list of officials she viewed as disloyal, and the New York Times reported she urged Haugh's firing. 1 3

    Their side: The Pentagon gave no reason for the dismissal, and the NSA and White House did not comment to CBS News. No public statement from Haugh was found. 2

Career

  1. U.S. Air Force intelligence officer
  2. Director of intelligence, U.S. Cyber Command
  3. Commander, Cyber National Mission Force
  4. Commander, Sixteenth Air Force
  5. Deputy commander, U.S. Cyber Command
  6. Director, National Security Agency, and commander, U.S. Cyber Command

Our reporting

We have not yet published a story that names Timothy Haugh. When we do, it will appear here.

Sources for this file

  1. Wikipedia, Timothy D. Haugh, Nov. 13, 2026
  2. CBS News, Gen. Timothy Haugh, head of NSA and Cyber Command, is fired, April 4, 2025
  3. Reuters (via Al-Monitor), US Senate confirms National Security Agency director, ending long vacancy, March 10, 2026

File checked Nov. 13, 2026. Something wrong or out of date? Tell the desk.