US President Donald Trump has dismissed General Timothy Hough, the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and US Cyber Command, along with his deputy, Wendy Noble. The two will be replaced by William Hartmann, deputy of US Cyber Command, and Sheila Thomas, the NSA’s executive director.
Following the announcement, far-right activist Laura Loomer took to X, claiming that Hough and Noble were disloyal to President Trump. She alleged that Hough had been appointed by General Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who had turned against Trump, labeling him “fascist to the core.” Loomer argued that Hough’s appointment was a mistake, accusing him of being aligned with Biden and the administration.
Loomer also criticized Noble, calling her Hough’s “Obama-loving protege” and claimed that she had focused too much on promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the NSA. She expressed gratitude that Trump had acted on the vetting materials provided to him, referring to the firings as a “blessing for the American people.”
Reports indicate that Loomer visited the Oval Office on Wednesday and pressured Trump to make changes to the National Security Council (NSC). CNN suggests that the firings were a direct result of that meeting. Since taking office, Trump has dismissed numerous high-ranking officials from US agencies, replacing them with loyalists.