In a surprising move late Thursday, Gen. Timothy Haugh was dismissed from his role as director of the National Security Agency after serving just one year. Haugh, who simultaneously led U.S. Cyber Command, was removed alongside his civilian deputy at the NSA, Wendy Noble, according to reports first published by The Washington Post.

Noble has since been reassigned within the Department of Defense to a role in the Office of the Undersecretary for Intelligence, which oversees the NSA.

Taking over in an acting capacity are Lt. Gen. William J. Hartmann, formerly the deputy at U.S. Cyber Command, as interim NSA director, and Sheila Thomas, the NSA’s former executive director, as acting deputy.

The leadership shake-up comes just weeks after Elon Musk, head of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and close adviser to President Donald Trump, visited the NSA’s headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland, with Gen. Haugh.

In response to the firing, Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, expressed outrage. “I am deeply disturbed by the decision to remove General Haugh,” Himes said in a statement posted to X. “I’ve known him to be an honest and forthright leader who followed the law and put national security first. I fear those are precisely the qualities that led to his removal under this administration.”

Ranking Member Jim Himes statement on the firing of NSA Director General Timothy Haugh: pic.twitter.com/8xz2pzkXaE

— House Intelligence Committee (@HouseIntelDems) April 4, 2025

At the time of publication, the Trump administration had not publicly commented on the reasons behind the changes.