Members of the Nuclear Emergency Support Team training for a radiological contamination scenario.

National Nuclear Security Administration

hide caption

toggle caption

National Nuclear Security Administration

Over the past two days, scenes of confusion erupted at the agency that manages the nation’s nuclear arsenal, as mass firings under the Trump administration were implemented before being temporarily halted on Friday.

This account regarding the layoffs at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is compiled from discussions with various current and former employees who wished to remain anonymous, fearing repercussions from the Trump administration.

Officials were granted just hours to dismiss hundreds of employees, with workers being locked out of their email accounts as termination notifications were sent. This wave of dismissals was part of a larger initiative at the Department of Energy, where reportedly over a thousand federal workers were let go. This was driven by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) effort to reduce the federal workforce, alongside what Musk and President Trump described as excessive federal expenditures.

The NNSA is a semi-autonomous branch within the Department of Energy that manages the U.S. inventory of thousands of nuclear arms. Despite having ‘National’ and ‘Security’ in its name, the agency was informed that it wouldn’t be exempt from layoffs last Friday, as per an employee who spoke under the condition of anonymity due to concerns over possible retaliation. Just days prior, leadership had hurriedly drafted justifications for the approximately 300 probationary employees recently inducted into the federal workforce.

Managers had a mere 200 characters allocated to articulate the significance of the roles played by these employees.

This task proved to be a substantial challenge for the relatively lesser-known agency responsible for various nuclear security operations. These operations include servicing nuclear arms that are not deployed on missiles or bombers, as well as implementing significant safety and security enhancements for warheads. Certain employees were tasked with ensuring that emergency response plans were robust at locations like a massive facility in Texas, where numerous dismantled warheads are held. Others focused on preventing terrorists and rogue nations from accessing weapons-grade plutonium or uranium. A considerable number held “Q” clearances, the highest security classification within the Department of Energy.

The Department of Energy’s press office did not respond to multiple requests from NPR for a statement.

In the days leading up to the layoffs, management drafted lists of crucial personnel and advocated for their retention.

Ultimately, these efforts were in vain. On Thursday, officials were informed that most of the requested employment exemptions had been denied by the Trump administration. Numerous current and former agency employees recounted to NPR that many received verbal notifications of their layoffs. Many had to vacate their workspaces immediately. “It broke my heart,” lamented one employee who was among those departing from the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Two employees from the National Nuclear Security Administration use gamma detectors to test the outside of a container of highly-enriched uranium for surface contamination at the Charleston Weapons Station near Goose Creek, S.C. on March 19, 2010.

Mic Smith/AP

hide caption

toggle caption

Mic Smith/AP

However, the subsequent developments were even more perplexing. Employees were informed they would receive letters confirming their terminations.

Some employees did receive letters. One letter, reviewed by NPR, arrived late at night, and shortly after, their work email was disabled. “Based on OPM [Office of Personnel Management] guidelines, DOE has determined that your continued employment would not be in the public interest,” it contained as part of its wording. This notice matched other letters observed by NPR that were distributed to staff throughout the Department of Energy. Notably, the NNSA termination letter seemingly made no explicit reference to the agency’s sensitive nuclear mission.

Conversely, other employees who were informed about their terminations did not receive written evidence of it.

As the confusion lingered, employees contacted by NPR on Friday expressed uncertainty regarding their employment status with the agency. “Nobody knows if they’re fired or not,” disclosed one employee. Some individuals still possessed work laptops and equipment, which did not contain any classified materials.

On Friday, a remaining employee at the NNSA reported to NPR that the dismissals had now been “paused,” primarily due to the disorganized manner in which they transpired. One employee was informed that their termination had been “rescinded.” Nonetheless, some expressed concerns that the damage was already inflicted. While nuclear security roles are often specialized and intense, the pay tends not to be exceedingly high, an employee remarked to NPR. Given the recent developments, “who would want to apply for such positions?” they questioned.