The acting director of the National Security Agency (NSA), Lt. Gen. William J. Hartman, made efforts to protect one of his leading scientists from losing his security clearance as the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, prepared to announce the revocation. Despite his attempts, the effort was unsuccessful. Under direct orders from President Trump, Gabbard terminated the employment of the prominent scientist, Vinh Nguyen, who was recognized as a top expert in artificial intelligence, cryptology, and advanced mathematics.
Vinh Nguyen was one of 37 current and former national security officials whose security clearances were revoked on Tuesday. Many of these individuals had connections to the intelligence agencies’ investigations regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election. Gabbard has publicly released documents from this intelligence inquiry, accusing officials from the Obama administration of committing related crimes, a stance that President Trump has publicly endorsed.
In the lead-up to the revocation, Lt. Gen. Hartman reached out to Gabbard, requesting to review the evidence that justified Nguyen's termination. However, Gabbard reportedly declined to provide the requested information. The list of individuals losing their clearances circulated on Tuesday morning and was made public later that afternoon. The NSA has since referred all inquiries related to the matter to Gabbard's office, which has not responded to requests for comment.
The decision to revoke the clearances has faced significant backlash from former officials. William J. Burns, the former C.I.A. director, described the removal of public servants as part of a broader campaign of retribution. In an article published in The Atlantic, Burns stated, “It is about breaking people and breaking institutions by sowing fear and mistrust throughout our government.” He emphasized that the actions taken by the current administration aim to intimidate public servants, making them cautious about their communications and actions.
Vinh Nguyen, whose father was a South Vietnamese general allied with American forces during the Vietnam War, was recruited into the NSA as a teenager due to his exceptional math skills. He ascended through the ranks of the agency to become its chief data scientist, playing a pivotal role in the development of artificial intelligence systems designed to enhance the collection of foreign communications. Additionally, Nguyen contributed to the intelligence community's initiatives in quantum computing, a field that holds the potential to disrupt current encryption methods and transform espionage practices.
In the days preceding Nguyen's dismissal, there were growing concerns within the NSA regarding the security of his position. Conservative publications began scrutinizing his work as the national intelligence officer overseeing cybersecurity in 2016. This media attention had previously resulted in the ousting of the NSA's top lawyer, April Falcon Doss, in July. The former director of the agency, Gen. Timothy D. Haugh, was also dismissed in the spring following accusations from far-right figures about his alleged connections to Gen. Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Despite expectations that General Hartman, who succeeded General Haugh, would be nominated for the permanent director position, no official moves have been made by either the Pentagon or the White House to confirm his appointment. The ongoing situation raises questions about the stability and direction of leadership within the NSA and the impact of political influences on national security operations.
