Timothy Hoff, a U.S. Air Force General and the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA), has been dismissed, according to a report by the influential U.S. newspaper The Washington Post. Along with Hoff, his deputy has also been removed from position. This information was reported by Reuters on Friday, April 4.
The Washington Post stated that the NSA director was dismissed on Thursday, citing two current and one former U.S. official. Hoff, who also serves as the head of U.S. Cyber Command, was removed alongside his deputy, Wendy Noble.
The report mentioned that Noble has been reassigned to a position under the Office of the Under Secretary for Intelligence in the Pentagon. The NSA is a part of the U.S. Department of Defense.
According to The Washington Post, current and former officials said they were unaware of the reasons behind Hoff’s dismissal or Noble’s reassignment. William Hartman, Deputy of U.S. Cyber Command, has been appointed as Acting NSA Director, while Sheila Thomas will serve as Acting Deputy Director.
Neither the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) nor the White House has made any immediate comment on the matter.
Reuters noted that Democrat Jim Himes, Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, has condemned the dismissal of NSA Director Timothy Hoff.
Since Republican President Donald Trump began his second term on January 20 of this year, he has dismissed several top officials of U.S. agencies and appointed loyalists to key positions.
Reuters further reported that Elon Musk, who is leading the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce and streamline the federal workforce, visited the NSA last month to meet with Hoff.
The NSA is one of the top intelligence agencies in the U.S., utilizing advanced and specialized technologies and systems for gathering and analyzing intelligence. The U.S. Cyber Command conducts both offensive and defensive operations and also monitors the Department of Defense’s networks.