I doubt this is the whole story

Trump administration fires director of National Security Agency

By Sean Lyngaas, Katie Bo Lillis and Alayna Treene, CNN

4 minute read

Updated 7:34 AM EDT, Fri April 4, 2025

CNN

—

The Trump administration has firedthe director and deputy director of the National Security Agency, the United States’ powerful cyber intelligence bureau, according to members of the Senate and House intelligence committees and two former officials familiar with the matter.

The dismissal of Gen. Timothy Haugh, who also leads US Cyber Command — the military’s offensive and defensive cyber unit — is a major shakeup of the US intelligence community which is navigating significant changes in the first two months of the Trump administration. Wendy Noble, Haugh’s deputy at NSA, was also removed, according to the former officials and lawmakers.

The top Democrats on the Senate and House intelligence committee, Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Jim Himes, denounced the firing of Haugh,who served in the roles since February 2024, in statements on Thursday night.

Lt. Gen. William Hartman, an experienced military officer and the deputy of Cyber Command, is expected to serve as acting head of the command and NSA, the two former officials said.

The news of the dismissals comes as the White House also fired multiple staff members on the National Security Council on Thursday, after Laura Loomer, the far-right activist who once claimed 9/11 was an inside job, urged President Donald Trump during a Wednesday meeting to do so, arguing that they were disloyal.

Loomer, who brought a list with roughly a dozen names of people she deemed insufficient in their support of Trump, also advocated for the firing of Haugh and Noble, two sources familiar with the meeting told CNN.

During the meeting, Loomer told the president that Haugh specifically should be fired because he was handpicked by the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley. Haugh was nominated in 2023, while Milley was serving, to head up the NSA and Cyber Command.

In a social media post overnight Loomer said, “NSA Director Tim Haugh and his deputy Wendy Noble have been disloyal to President Trump. That is why they have been fired.As a Biden appointee, General Haugh had no place serving in the Trump admin given the fact that he was HAND PICKED by General Milley.” She went on, “Thank you President Trump for being receptive to the vetting materials provided to you and thank you for firing these Biden holdovers.”…

Last month, Haugh hosted billionaire Elon Musk, who oversees the Department of Government Efficiency, at the NSA and Cyber Command headquarters at Fort Meade, Maryland.

Some current and former defense officials say there is a growing culture of fear inside the officer ranks within the Defense Department, among officials who worry that they could be fired at any moment for conduct deemed insufficiently loyal to Trump…

(https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/03/politics/trump-administration-fires-director-national-security-agency/index.html

>>22865248

When the Democrats are pissed, Haugh was working for them. The true story will come out.

>>22865248

2/2

Haugh was not in the now-infamous group chat on the messaging app Signal, At a House Intelligence Committee hearing last week where Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe were grilled about the Signal group chat debacle,Haugh testified that, in general, there are risks to using the app.

NSA is one of the US government’s most powerful and critical spy agencies. Its code breakers and computer operativesconduct intelligence operations all over the world that provide insights to the president and his top advisers. Cyber Command was established over a decade ago to combat growing foreign threats in cyberspace and has matured considerably in the years since.

Cyber Command has taken on a prominent role in defending US elections from foreign influence and interference, including by knocking a Russian troll farm offline in the 2018 election and defending against Iranian hackers in the 2020 election.

Renée Burton, a cybersecurity expert who spent more than two decades at NSA, called the news of Haugh and Burton’s ouster “alarming.”

“NSA mission is vast and extremely complicated,” Burton told CNN. “=General Haugh and Ms. Noble have built the expertise and credibility it takes to oversee such a vital part of our national security. Replacing them will not be easy and the disruption will expose the country to new risk.”

In an unprecedented purge of the military’s senior leadership in February, Trump fired the top US general just moments before Hegseth fired the chief of the US Navy and the vice chief of the Air Force.

((https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/03/politics/trump-administration-fires-director-national-security-agency/index.html

call to digg on Haugh and Noble, what were they really fired for?

>>22865248

Timothy D. Haugh

Timothy Dean Haugh[1] (born 11 January 1969) is a United States Air Force general who served as the commander of the United States Cyber Command, director of the National Security Agency, and chief of the Central Security Service from 2024 to 2025. He previously served as the deputy commander of the United States Cyber Command.[2][3][4]

Biography

Born in 1969,[6] Haugh is from Hughesville, Pennsylvania, and graduated from high school there in 1987. He was commissioned through AFROTC at Lehigh University. His father was an enlisted navigator in the United States Marine Corps.[7][8]

In May 2023, Haugh was nominated for promotion to generaland appointment as commander of the United States Cyber Command, director of the National Security Agency, and chief of the Central Security Service.[9][10][11][12]

On 30 November, Sen. Ron Wyden pledged to block the vote confirming Haugh as director of the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command until the NSA releases information on the alleged purchase and use of data collected on American citizens.

[13] The U.S. Senate approved the nomination and his promotion to the rank of general on 19 December.[14]

On 3 April 2025, Haugh was relieved of his positions.[15]According to The New York Times, Laura Loomer, a far-right political activist, met with president Donald Trump the day prior and called for Haugh to be fired. Trump directed secretary of defense Pete Hegseth to dismiss Haugh.[16]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_D._Haugh

>>22865326

Biden nominates Lt. Gen. Timothy Haugh to lead NSA, Cyber Command

The decision was confirmed by an Air Force official

By LARA SELIGMAN and MAGGIE MILLER05/23/202303:30 PM EDT

If confirmed, Haugh will replace Gen. Paul Nakasone, who has led both NSA and Cyber Command since 2018. Nakasone is planning to step down sometime this year.

While the Senate unanimously confirmed Haugh to his current post last year, he may face a bumpy road to confirmation now, given that Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) has placed a hold on all Defense Department nominations in protest of the agency’s abortion travel policy.

A spokesperson for Tuberville confirmed to POLITICO that Tuberville’s hold will include Haugh’s nomination, noting that it applies to “all civilian and general/flag officer nominations.”

Haugh, who had been generally expected to get the nod, has been involved in the Pentagon’s cyber efforts for years. He previously led the Sixteenth Air Force, or Air Force Cyber, and also served in stintsas the director of Cyber Command’s Cyber National Mission Force and as the agency’s director of intelligence.

Spokespeople for Cyber Command, the NSA and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Senate Intelligence Chair Mark Warner (D-Va.) said that the committee, which along with the Senate Armed Services Committee has jurisdiction over the confirming Haugh, has not yet received the nomination.

Compared with Nakasone, Haugh has kept a low profile on Capitol Hill. Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee and leading cyber policy advocate, said earlier this month that he “doesn’t know Haugh well,” and that he would have preferred for Nakasone to stay in the position.

Nakasone’s planned resignation comes at a tough time for the Pentagon, as he’s poised to leave at the same time as the majority of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, leaving a major gap in defense leadership.

Nakasone’s four-year term leading NSA and Cyber Command ran out last year, and he was asked to stay on for a further year. Nakasone commands broad bipartisan support on Capitol Hill, and has led on issues including securing U.S. election against foreign interference,along with supporting Ukrainian cyber operations in its war with Russia.

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/23/biden-nominates-lt-gen-timothy-haugh-to-lead-nsa-cyber-command-00098372

>>22865358

Biden picks new National Security Agency head, key to support of Ukraine, defense of US elections

Tuesday, May 23, 2023. (U.S. Air Force via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has chosen a new leader for the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, a joint position that oversees much of America’s cyber warfare and defense.

Air Force Lt. Gen. Timothy Haugh, the current deputy commander of Cyber Command, would replace Army Gen. Paul Nakasone, who has led both organizations since May 2018 and was expected to step down this year, according to a notice sent by the Air Force this week and confirmed by a person familiar with the announcement. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters not yet made public.

If confirmed, Haugh will take charge of highly influential U.S. efforts to bolster Ukraine’s cybersecurity and share information with Ukrainian forces fighting Russia’s invasion. He will alsooversee programs to detect and stop foreign influence and interference in American elections, as well as those targeting criminals behind ransomware attacks that have shut down hospital systems and at one point a key U.S. fuel pipeline.

Politico first reported that Haugh was picked.

It’s unclear whether Haugh will be affected by a Republican senator’s blockade of all military nominations. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama has for months objected to the Pentagon’s policy of providing travel money and support to troops seeking abortions but based in states with abortion bans.

Haugh’s nomination to lead both the NSA and Cyber Command reflects the White House’s intention to keep one person in charge of both organizations. That arrangement is known as a “dual-hat” posting.

Some key Republicans have long wanted to split the leadership, saying each organization is important enough to require a full-time leader. Nakasone has long advocated for keeping the dual hat, saying it gives him and future leaders access to more powers more efficiently.

The Biden administration established a small study group last year to review the leadership structure. The review signaled support for keeping the position as is.

An official familiar with the matter said the group’s review found that having a single head in charge of both agencies better mirrored how U.S. allies’ cyber and intelligence operations were structured and made it easier to act quickly on information — a critical aspect of countering cyberwarfare. The official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to be able to discuss sensitive matters.

The group also found that within the U.S., having a single head also streamlined decisions and enabled the U.S. to more quickly act on intelligence, rather than have the information move through the leadership of both structures before recommendations could be made on a response.

The group reviewed case studies of intelligence and cyber operations to determine whether the dual hat structure was necessary and briefed the defense secretary, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and relevant congressional committees on its findings, the official said.

According to a service biography, Haugh is a career signals intelligence officer and recipient of the Bronze Star, given to service members for heroism or outstanding achievement in a combat theater. He has been deputy commander at U.S. Cyber Command since August.

https://apnews.com/article/nsa-cyber-command-haugh-nakasone-de8a332e760331d2309d8965412ae189

4 Apr, 2025 12:24

Trump’s tariffs will turn EU economy into ‘decaying corpse’ – Medvedev

Unlike Brussels, Moscow can bide its time amid the emerging trade war, the former Russian president has said

The US imposition of “reciprocal” tariffs on EU exports has doomed the bloc’s economy, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said.

This week, US President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs in an attempt to improve America’s balance of trade, accusing the country’s economic partners ofexploiting access to its consumer market through protectionist policies and currency manipulation.

Medvedev, now deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, remarked on Thursday thatwhile the move seriously disrupts global commerce, Russia will be largely unaffected, as its trade with the US is virtually nonexistent.

“No need for knee-jerk reactions,” he posted on social media. “We should take a seat on the shore and wait for the enemy’s corpse to float by. In this case, the decaying corpse of the EU economy.”

The expression, which advises patient inaction, has been attributed by Western authors, including Umberto Eco, to various Eastern sources and may be a misinterpretation of a remark by Chinese philosopher Confucius, which does not mention dead bodies.

Outgoing German Economy Minister Robert Habeck hascompared the potential impact to the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Then too,“something new was happening, and we were not prepared in Europe to cope with the challenge,” he said during a press conference on Thursday.

Many other European politicians and media outlets have described the economic fallout from the tariffs asdisastrous for member states. Washington, however, has warned that any retaliatory steps would be met with further measures.

Medvedev has previously called outBrussels for being incompetent and irrationally hostile toward Russia. In an effort to punish Moscow over the Ukraine conflict, Brussels has sought to cut off energy imports from the country entirely. The economic bloc has also imposed sweeping sanctions, significantly reducing direct trade.

Critics of the policy, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Slovak counterpart, Robert Fico, argue that it has led to a dramatic decline in the competitiveness of EU products, inflicting substantial economic damage.

https://www.rt.com/russia/615235-medvedev-eu-economy-corpse/

4 Apr, 2025 02:15

Third parties trying to derail US-Russia talks – Putin envoy

Certain countries and politicians don’t want to see positive ties between Moscow and Washington, Kirill Dmitiev has claimed

Certain countries want to throw a wrench into the normalization of Russian-American relations, President Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has said. He made his comment followinga rare three-day trip to Washington, where he met with top US officials.

“Different countriesare trying to derail this dialogue, derail the restoration of the Russian-American relations,” Dmitriev told reporters on Thursday evening. (EU leaders are losing their minds, now with tariffs, they’ve been put in insane asylums. Kek)

He noted that the negotiations have been accompanied by “a lot of rumors, incorrect quotes, and incorrect interpretations.”

“A lot of people are interested in preventing the development of our relations. We are seeing a coordinated campaign in the media, attempts by various politicians to undermine the relations between Russia and the US, and attempts to distort the statements made by Russia,” the diplomat said. “It happens on a daily basis.”

“The best way to overcome disinformation is direct dialogue,” he stressed.

Dmitriev reportedly met with Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who has been one of the key US negotiators on Ukraine. According to NBC News, the Russian diplomatalso met withRepublican Senators Lindsey Graham and Markwayne Mullin. (Graham hates Russia more than he detests women)

According to Dmitriev, the sides mostly discussedsteps to gradually amend the cooperation severed by the Biden administrationin 2022. The agenda included apossible partnershipin the Arctic, the development of rare-earth minerals, and the resumption of direct flights between the countries, he said.

Some EU and Ukrainian politicians have attempted to dissuade Trump from restarting negotiations with Moscow. The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, claimed last month that“Russia cannot really be trusted.”

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky suggested in February thatTrump was trapped in a “disinformation bubble.” (Z’s talking about the President, CiC of the U.S., Trump has access to more information than possibly any leader of the world. The only ones that traffics in disinfo is Zelensky and his group of liars. Zelensky has lost all credibility with the President and the U.S.)

Trump has blamed Zelensky for the conflict, while his Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, argued that the EU should be sidelined during negotiations.

https://www.rt.com/russia/615217-dmitriev-us-russia-ties/

4 Apr, 2025 00:28

Significant progress made on Ukraine ceasefire – Putin aide

The energy truce was an important step towards ending the hostilities, Kirill Dmitriev has said

The US-brokered energy truce was a major step towards ending the Ukraine conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy, Kirill Dmitirev, has said during his trip to the US.

Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, traveled to Washington this week to discuss further steps in normalizing bilateral ties largely suspended in 2022.

“We are noting a positive dynamic in our relations,” Dmitriev told reporters on Thursday evening.

He added that “significant progress has already been made” towards reaching a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire.

“For example, under the leadership of presidents [Vladimir] Putin and [Donald] Trump, an agreement has been made to refrain from strikes on energy infrastructure between Russia and Ukraine.It is a first step to deescalate the Ukraine conflict,” the envoy said.

Following a phone call with Trump on March 18, Putin said that he had instructed the Russian army to halt attacks on Ukrainian energy sites for 30 days. Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky later endorsed the arrangement.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Kiev has routinely been violating the truce, including four attacks on Russian energy sites on Thursday alone. Ukraine has been targeting fuel depots, gas facilities, and elements of the power grid, the MOD said.

Kiev has claimed that it was observing the energy truce and accused Moscow of striking gas facilities operated by the energy giant Naftogaz.

https://www.rt.com/russia/615216-progress-russia-ukraine-ceasefire/

This is good news because Putin and others were getting upset because they thought Trump Admin was ignoring the Ukraine attacks.

4 Apr, 2025 04:12

Putin and Zelensky ready to make a deal – Trump

The US president has insisted that he will succeed in his mediation efforts

The leaders of Russia and Ukraine are ready to make a peace deal, US President Donald Trump claimed on Thursday. He has been trying to broker a ceasefire between the two neighbors since February.

A reporter asked Trump on Air Force One about his communication with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky. “I think he’s ready to make a deal. And I think that [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin is ready to make a deal,” Trump said. He declined to go into specifics but added thatthe US is having “a lot of good conversations about Ukraine and Russia.”

“We like to see [the conflict] stopped as soon as possible because thousands of people have been killed in a week,” Trump said. “Europe has not been successful in dealing with President Putin, but I think I will be successful.”

Trump made his comments as Putin’s investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, traveled to Washington, where he reportedlymet with America’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.The sides mostly continued discussing steps to normalize bilateral relations frozen by the Biden administration in 2022, Dmitriev told reporters on Thursday evening. He noted the “positive dynamic” of the talks, adding thatmore meetings need to take place to resolve the differences.

Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, told Fox Business on Wednesday that Trump has been “frustrated” with both Putin and Zelensky. He remained optimistic about the negotiations, saying thatthe sides were “on the precipice” of a comprehensive ceasefire.

Moscow has accused Kiev of multiple violations of an energy truce brokered by Trump last month. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine has struck fuel depots, gas facilities, and the electrical grid, despite promising to respect a 30-day pause on such attacks. Kiev has claimed that Russia was breaching the same agreement.

Russia has maintained that any long-term settlementwould be viable only ifthe US and Ukraine address the root causes of the conflict. Moscow demands that Kiev abandon its plans to join NATOand recognizeCrimea and four other former Ukrainian regions as Russian territory.

https://www.rt.com/news/615218-putin-zelensky-deal-trump/

I think PDJT will go down in History as the only President that was capable of stoping a war between with Ukraine and Russia.