Rep. Don Bacon criticized the White House after Joe Francescon’s nomination for deputy NSA director was withdrawn following objections from informal adviser Laura Loomer. Loomer pointed to a $500 2023 donation Francescon made to Rep. Jason Crow. Bacon warned that the move — and the impending retirement of an acting deputy — leaves senior NSA and U.S. Cyber Command posts vulnerable "for 8 months and counting," calling the situation "gross negligence." Loomer publicly claimed credit and Fox's Jennifer Griffin called the withdrawal "shocking."
Rep. Don Bacon Slams White House as Laura Loomer Blocks NSA Nominee, Warns of Cybersecurity Vacancies
Laura Loomer
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) sharply criticized the White House on Friday after the administration withdrew its nominee for deputy director of the National Security Agency.
President Donald Trump nominated Joe Francescon for the post in August. The nomination drew public condemnation from controversial commentator and informal White House adviser Laura Loomer, who highlighted Federal Election Commission records showing Francescon — a former National Security Council official during the first Trump administration — donated $500 to Democratic Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado in 2023.
In an August post on X, Loomer wrote: “FEC records reveal that Francescon donated to an anti-Trump Democrat Congressman named @RepJasonCrow. During his first term in Congress, Crow was an impeachment manager for President Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial.”
On Friday morning the White House withdrew Francescon’s nomination.
GOP Criticism: "Gross Negligence"
Posting on X, Bacon excoriated the administration for what he described as “gross negligence” in leaving senior national security posts unfilled and criticized Loomer’s unofficial influence over hiring decisions. Bacon warned that the withdrawal, combined with the acting deputy director’s planned retirement at the end of the month, will leave the top two positions at the NSA and the four‑star commander role at U.S. Cyber Command vacant “for 8 months and counting.” He added: “All because of infighting in the White House and the involvement of whacky Laura Loomer in hiring. We are at Cyber War everyday and the inability to get leaders in place is gross negligence.”
“We are at Cyber War everyday and the inability to get leaders in place is gross negligence.” — Rep. Don Bacon
Loomer, Media Reaction
Loomer replied to Bacon’s post and took credit for the outcome, posting “SCALP” and questioning why someone who donated to lawmakers involved in Mr. Trump’s impeachment should be considered for the deputy NSA role: “What makes someone think they can be the Deputy NSA @NSAGov Director when they donated to Democrats who oversaw the impeachment of President Trump? Why would we want a Deputy NSA Director who donated to one of the Seditious 6?”
Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin described Francescon’s withdrawal as “shocking.”
In July, Loomer had boasted about helping to block several Trump administration nominees, naming at least one top Customs and Border Protection pick and another candidate for a post at the NSA among those she said she helped derail.
This report was first published on Mediaite.
