CIA chief Goss quits

President George W. Bush gave no explanation for the move, which a senior administration official said Bush had been discussing with Goss' boss, national intelligence director John Negroponte, for the last few weeks.

Administration officials told CNN on Friday that Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, principal deputy director of national intelligence, would replace Goss. Sources also told The New York Times and Time magazine Web sites that Hayden was a leading candidate for the post.

Goss has come under fire inside and outside the agency during a difficult tenure.

Senior administration officials told The Washington Post that Bush decided to replace Goss months ago. Negroponte met with Goss last month and told him to prepare to leave by May, the newspaper reported on its Web site, quoting officials with knowledge of the conversation.