WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a sweeping move that has left national security experts stunned, the Trump administration has executed mass layoffs across the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)—the agency responsible for maintaining America’s nuclear arsenal and responding to nuclear threats.
The firings, which took place on February 13, 2025, come as part of a radical cost-cutting effort led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an entity created by Trump and helmed by billionaire Elon Musk. The decision has sparked intense backlash, raising questions about whether efficiency is coming at the cost of national security.
Hundreds of nuclear security staff abruptly fired
Approximately 325 NNSA employees were let go with little warning, according to internal reports. These layoffs directly impact key functions, including:
- Maintaining the U.S. nuclear stockpile, ensuring that the country’s nuclear weapons remain safe and operational.
- Deploying first responders to nuclear incidents, a crucial component of disaster response in the event of an attack or accident.
- Counterterrorism operations, specifically the tracking and recovery of nuclear materials that could be in the hands of adversaries.
The Department of Energy (DOE), which oversees the NNSA, also took a massive hit, with estimates placing total job losses between 1,200 and 2,000 employees across various divisions.
- The Loan Programs Office, which funds renewable energy projects, saw 45 layoffs.
- The Grid Deployment Office, which oversees power grid security, lost 18 employees.
While the administration claims these moves will streamline bureaucracy and cut spending, critics warn that the gutting of the NNSA risks undermining America’s ability to respond to nuclear crises.
Elon Musk’s expanding influence over the federal government
These mass firings are part of a broader directive issued by Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a controversial new agency created via executive order and run by Elon Musk.
Under Trump’s orders, DOGE’s mission is to eliminate inefficiencies, consolidate federal power, and shrink the size of government. Musk, whose business empire spans SpaceX, Tesla, and artificial intelligence, has been granted extraordinary authority over federal operations, budget decisions, and even personnel management.
Musk, an outspoken critic of “big government”, has publicly called for the elimination of entire federal agencies, arguing that the U.S. “should not live in a bureaucracy.”
But critics say this new role gives Musk unprecedented control over government operations with little oversight, turning America’s most critical institutions into a billionaire’s personal experiment.
A dangerous gamble with nuclear security?
The layoffs come at a time when global nuclear tensions are rising, with increasing concerns over Russia, China, and rogue nuclear threats.
Security experts and former NNSA officials have slammed the firings as reckless and dangerous, warning that the loss of highly skilled personnel could cripple America’s ability to respond to nuclear emergencies.
A former high-ranking DOE official, speaking anonymously, described the situation as a “full-blown national security crisis.”
“This isn’t about cutting red tape. These are the people who make sure our nuclear weapons don’t fail and don’t fall into the wrong hands. Slashing NNSA staffing without a plan to replace this expertise is a catastrophe waiting to happen.”
Democratic lawmakers have demanded an investigation, warning that the cuts could also jeopardize national laboratories, nuclear waste cleanup efforts, and Cold War-era nuclear sites still in need of containment.
Legal battles mount against Trump and Musk
The fallout has already led to legal challenges. Attorneys general from multiple states have filed lawsuits against Trump, Musk, and DOGE, arguing that:
- Musk’s appointment as DOGE chief is unconstitutional, giving one individual unchecked control over government resources.
- DOGE’s access to sensitive federal data, including nuclear security information, violates established laws protecting national security.
- The layoffs bypassed civil service protections, disproportionately targeting probationary employees who had not yet gained full protections under federal employment laws.
Federal judges are now deliberating whether to block DOGE from accessing key government systems, including sensitive databases within the Treasury Department and DOE.
What happens next?
With lawsuits piling up and Congress considering emergency action, the next few weeks will determine whether Trump’s radical restructuring of the government holds—or collapses under legal and political pressure.
For now, however, one thing is clear: America’s nuclear security workforce has been slashed overnight, and the people left to clean up the mess aren’t sure if there’s anyone left to do the job.
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