During last year's campaign, President Donald Trump made no secret of his plans to shake up Washington's bureaucratic establishment.

An example of that came this past week when Trump abruptly fired the National Security Agency's director. 

Conservative journalist accused general of being "disloyal"

According to CBS News, Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh was removed from his positions as National Security Agency (NSA) director and U.S. Cyber Command on Friday.

CBS News cited sources who indicated that Haugh is to be replaced as NSA director by Army Lt. Gen. William Hartman, who is currently deputy director of U.S. Cyber Command.

The network noted that Haugh's firing came a day after conservative journalist Laura Loomer put up a social media post accusing his of being "disloyal."

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, who was accused of… pic.twitter.com/SFXmog5b44

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) April 4, 2025

What's more, CBS News pointed out how six National Security Council (NSC) staff members were fired on Thursday following a visit by Loomer to the White House.

Trump denies that Loomer played a role in Haugh's removal

For his part, Trump addressed Haugh's removal when speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday afternoon.

"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 declared.

The president was also quick to deny any suggestion that Loomer had played any role in the removal of the Air Force general, saying, "No, not at all."

Sean Parnell serves as chief Pentagon spokesperson, and he put out a statement which offered little insight into why Haugh had been removed.

House Democrat suggests that Haugh was fired because he was "honest"

"The Defense Department thanks General Timothy Haugh for his decades of service to our nation, culminating as U.S. Cyber Command Commander and National Security Agency Director. We wish him and his family well," CBS News quoted it as saying.

Meanwhile, Connecticut Democratic Rep. Jim Himes is the House Intelligence Committee's ranking member, and he decried Haugh's firing.

"I have known General Haugh to be an honest and forthright leader who followed the law and put national security first — I fear those are precisely the qualities that could lead to his firing in this Administration," Himes said in a statement.