The day of the announcement of worldwide tariffs, from uninhabited islands to islands with either penguins or army bases, was probably pretty busy in the Oval. After all, there was the stock market crash to consider, the outrage of allies and trading partners, not to mention fielding the calls from Maine’s senators and representatives after cutting off funds and making changes to social security to punish the governor for being a “petulant child” to the mature executive.
And still, the gentlemanly boss made time for a young woman who had been feeling a little left out lately.
But a U.S. official briefed on the matter said Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and outside adviser to President Trump, called for General Haugh’s removal during her Oval Office meeting on Thursday. Mr. Trump ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to fire General Haugh, the official said.
Laura Loomer? Yes, that Laura Loomer, whom the Times refers to as a far-right activist because batshit crazy conspiracy racist nutjob uses up too many letters.
Loomer shown handcuffed to the door of Twitter to protest as if she was a Holocaust victim.
Not only did President Trump make time in his busy schedule, invite her into not just the White House, but the inner sanctum of the Oval Office, but he found her demands so overwhelmingly persuasive that he acted upon them immediately.
The head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command was removed from his job on Thursday, according to the top Democrats on the congressional intelligence committees.
That would be Air Force General Timothy D. Haugh. One might assume that he had attained the rank of general through dedication, hard work and competence, although Gen. Mike Flynn put that myth to rest. Nonetheless, he was given his command by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Of course, that was also Loomer’s reason for his ouster.
Ms. Loomer appeared to take credit for the firing, writing in a post on X after midnight that General Haugh “had no place” serving in the administration because he had been chosen for the job by Gen. Mark A. Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs who has been critical of Mr. Trump.
“Why would we want an NSA Director who was referred to Biden after being hand selected by Milley,” Ms. Loomer wrote. “Why would we want Milley’s hand picked choice for NSA DIRECTOR? We do not! And he was referred for firing.”
I have no idea whether Gen. Haugh was good at his job or not, but the fact that he was chosen by General Milley hardly suggests that it was part of some deep state scheme to impede Trump’s agenda. The tradition of apolitical service by the military strongly suggests that Gen. Haugh’s appointment had nothing to do with politics or Trump, but rather that he was deemed the right person to fill the position. But to a conspiracy theorist, to whom no one isn’t part of some nefarious scheme because everything in her world is part of some nefarious scheme, guilt by association is more than enough to conclusively prove his disloyalty to the president.
And so he went. As well as others. Because Laura Loomer said so. Because Trump trusts Laura Loomer’s judgment. Because Trump is a stable genius.
Mr. Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said the public was owed an explanation.
“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,” Mr. Himes said.
Haugh is out and the security of the nation is left to the sound advice of no less a trusted friend of the president than Laura Loomer. And then Trump announced Liberation Day.