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Scenes of confusion and disorder engulfed the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) over the past two days as the Trump administration carried out mass firings across the nuclear weapons agency, only to later “pause” the dismissals on Friday.
This account is based on interviews with multiple current and former NNSA employees, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity due to fears of retribution.
Hundreds of Employees Abruptly Let Go
Officials at the NNSA were given mere hours to terminate hundreds of employees, with many workers losing access to their emails as termination notices arrived. The wave of firings was part of a broader effort at the Department of Energy (DOE), where over a thousand federal employees were reportedly dismissed. These layoffs were executed under Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, which aims to drastically reduce the federal workforce and curb what Musk and President Trump have characterized as excessive government spending.
Nuclear Weapons Agency NNSA Not Exempt from Firings Despite National Security Role
The NNSA, a semi-autonomous agency within the DOE, is responsible for overseeing the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile. Despite its crucial role in national security, the agency was not granted an exemption from the mass dismissals.
“We were told last Friday that there would be no national security exemption,” said one NNSA employee, speaking anonymously.
In the days leading up to the terminations, leadership scrambled to justify the roles of roughly 300 probationary employees—those who had joined the federal workforce within the past two years. Managers were limited to just 200 characters to explain why each job was essential.
Nuclear Weapons Agency Responsible For Nuclear Security Tasks
The NNSA performs a wide range of nuclear security tasks, including servicing nuclear warheads, enhancing warhead safety and security, and preventing terrorist groups and rogue nations from acquiring weapons-grade plutonium or uranium. Many employees held “Q” clearances, the highest level of security clearance within the DOE.
Some of the terminated employees had critical responsibilities, such as maintaining emergency response plans for nuclear facilities, including a major site in Texas where thousands of dismantled warheads are stored. Despite managers’ pleas to retain essential workers, most exemption requests were denied.
Workers Dismissed Without Written Notice
By Thursday, the vast majority of the requested exemptions had been rejected. According to multiple employees, dozens of workers were informed verbally that they were fired and were required to vacate their desks immediately.
“It broke my heart,” said one employee who was among those dismissed from the agency’s Washington, D.C., headquarters.
Adding to the confusion, employees were told they would receive a formal letter confirming their termination. Some did—but only late at night. A termination letter obtained by NPR read in part, “Per OPM [Office of Personnel Management] instructions, DOE finds that your further employment would not be in the public interest.”
The wording of these letters was consistent across DOE agencies and made no direct reference to the NNSA’s highly classified nuclear security mission.
Firings “Paused” Amid Backlash and Operational Chaos
By Friday, in light of the confusion and operational disruptions, the firings were reportedly “paused.” One NNSA employee told NPR that some terminations were even “rescinded.”
Despite this, many workers fear the damage has already been done. Nuclear security requires specialized expertise and carries immense pressure, yet it is not particularly lucrative. Given the chaotic handling of these dismissals, one employee questioned the future of the agency’s workforce: “Why would anybody want to take these jobs?”
Also Read: Massive Federal Workforce Reduction: Trump And Musk Oversee 9,500 Layoffs And 75,000 Buyouts
