Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) workforce optimization initiative is reportedly backtracking and scrambling to rehire workers who were overseeing the U.S. nuclear stockpile.U.S. President Trump’s implementation of an executive order to “reform the federal workforce to better serve Americans” isn’t working out quite as well as he had hoped. In fact, officials allegedly fired several National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) employees without realizing they were responsible for overseeing the nuclear stockpile.On February 11, a fact sheet posted online by the White House outlined how Trump’s administration plans to “reform the federal workforce to better serve Americans.”One of the key strategies in the executive order to “make the federal workforce more efficient and effective” involves consulting with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to “shrink the size of the federal workforce and limit hiring to essential positions”—aiming to “significantly reduce the size of the government.”Indeed, on February 14, Reuters reported that two sources confirmed more than 300 staff members were fired from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), with termination notices reportedly sent out on February 13.However, an Energy Department spokesperson disputed this figure, telling CNN the actual number was “less than 50 people” and that those dismissed “held primarily administrative and clerical roles.”Another source told the outlet that Congress was “freaking out because it appears DOE didn’t really realize NNSA oversees the nuclear stockpile.””The nuclear deterrent is the backbone of American security and stability—period. For there to be even very small holes poked in the maintenance of that deterrent should be extremely frightening to people,” they added.Regardless of the exact number fired, officials are now clearly recognizing their mistake in letting go of even some workers responsible for managing the U.S. nuclear weapons fleet—given their desperate attempts to rehire them. An email obtained by NBC News reveals they are struggling to contact the dismissed employees.
Whoops
Addressed to NNSA employees, the email reportedly reads: “The termination letters for some NNSA probationary employees are being rescinded, but we do not have a good way to get in touch with those personnel.”Please work with your supervisors to send this information (once you get it) to people’s personal contact emails.”Additionally, an NNSA nuclear safety specialist who was fired on Thursday told NBC News that she was still locked out of her emails, but her manager had reached out to inform her that her termination notice had been “rescinded.”While she has agreed to return, she noted that she plans to leave “as soon as [she] find[s] another role.”
