The U.S. government is attempting to rehire nuclear safety employees it dismissed last week, following growing concerns that the layoffs could pose a national security risk, multiple media outlets reported.
The affected workers were part of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which is responsible for designing, maintaining, and overseeing the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile. Their termination was part of a broader effort by President Donald Trump to reduce the size of the federal workforce, a key initiative he launched on his first day in office less than a month ago.
Conflicting Reports on the Scope of Layoffs
According to sources cited by U.S. media, more than 300 NNSA employees received termination notices on Thursday. However, a spokesperson for the Department of Energy disputed this figure, telling CNN that the number of dismissed NNSA workers was “less than 50.”
The layoffs included employees stationed at nuclear weapons production facilities, further raising alarms about potential gaps in national security. Following the dismissals, reports emerged that the Trump administration was attempting to reverse the decision, but officials have struggled to contact the fired employees, as they had been locked out of their federal email accounts.
An internal memo sent to NNSA employees on Friday, obtained by NBC News, acknowledged the issue:
“The termination letters for some NNSA probationary employees are being rescinded, but we do not have a good way to get in touch with those personnel.”
The memo urged employees to relay the information to their former colleagues via personal email.
Wider Federal Workforce Cuts Underway
The NNSA layoffs were part of a massive downsizing effort spearheaded by the Trump administration. Last week alone, nearly 10,000 federal employees were dismissed across various agencies, according to multiple reports. This was in addition to an estimated 75,000 workers who had accepted voluntary buyout offers in the fall of 2024.
Trump has pursued deep spending cuts, both domestically and internationally, even calling for the elimination of the Department of Education. His administration has received assistance from billionaire Elon Musk, who, through an initiative called the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), has deployed workers to analyze and streamline federal operations.
As part of the downsizing initiative, the White House ordered agencies to fire nearly all probationary employees—those who had been in their roles for less than a year and had not yet gained job protection. This directive included NNSA personnel, sparking concerns about the stability of the nation’s nuclear security workforce.
Legal Challenges Mount
The aggressive federal workforce reductions have sparked significant legal opposition. Since Trump’s inauguration on January 20, more than 60 lawsuits have been filed against his administration, challenging various policy decisions and staffing cuts.
With national security at stake, the administration now faces mounting pressure to rectify the NNSA dismissals swiftly while continuing its broader push for a leaner federal government.
