China is hacking America’s critical infrastructure, former NSA and retired Gen. Tim Haugh warns

Timothy D. Haugh, then U.S. Cyber Command commander and director of the National Security Agency/chief, Central Security Service speaks at the the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association’s TechNet Cyber event in Baltimore June 25, 2024. (DISA photo by David R. Marin)

By Scott Pelley • Oct 13, 2025

Until recently, Tim Haugh was among America’s top spymasters. The four-star general spent 33 years in Air Force Intelligence and rose to lead America’s largest and most advanced intelligence agency. Haugh was also in charge of defending America from computer threats.

In his first television interview since retirement, General Haugh warned that China has hacked into U.S. computer networks to an astonishing degree. And he believes he knows why. The surprise, Tim Haugh told CBS, is that China is targeting not just the U.S. military and industry but also Americans in their homes.

Gen. Tim Haugh: I think initially we were surprised that China would target every American with these capabilities. That goes against every norm of international law. That certainly goes against how the United States military would approach targeting in a crisis or a conflict. That the fact that they would go after basic services as part of their effort that they have identified as unrestricted warfare is unconscionable.