The Trump administration has fired Gen Timothy Haugh – the head of both the National Security Agency and US Cyber Command – the BBC’s US partner CBS has reported.
It is not clear why he was removed, but it comes after a meeting between President Donald Trump and far-right activist Laura Loomer on Wednesday. Ms Loomer reportedly urged Trump to fire specific employees whom she suspected lacked support for his agenda.
She posted on X that Gen Haugh and his deputy Wendy Noble, who US media reported was also let go, “have been disloyal to President Trump. That is why they have been fired.”
Before their firings were reported, Trump told reporters he would get rid of any staff deemed to be disloyal.
“We’re always going to let go of people – people we don’t like or people that take advantage of, or people that may have loyalties to someone else,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Trump made the comments as reports emerged of the firings of at least three other officials at the White House National Security Council (NSC), following the reported meeting with Ms Loomer. The president did not confirm names.
The National Security Agency (NSA) referred the BBC to the Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs for a comment on the firings.
The White House previously told the BBC that the NSC “won’t comment on personnel” matters.
