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Abrupt Changes at the top of the National Security Agency Risk Destabilization

Experts weigh in on the real implications of loyalty over expertise in national security

Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Commander of the United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) General Timothy D. Haugh delivers remarks at The Cipher Brief 2024 Threat Conference. (Photo by Pitter Goughnoughr/Pitter Productions Photography)

EXCLUSIVE CIPHER BRIEF REPORTING  — The Cipher Brief was the first to report on Thursday in the weekly Dead Drop column that Director of the National Security Agency (NSA), General Timothy Haugh, who also serves as Commander of U.S. Cyber Command (USCC), and NSA Deputy Director Wendy Noble were unexpectedly fired or reassigned.

A source with knowledge of the details around how the leadership changes were communicated, told The Cipher Brief that General Haugh, a four-star general, was called while traveling and was offered the opportunity to either retire or accept a demotion to two-star general and that Noble, a 30-year NSA veteran, was offered reassignment to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, or to retire.

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