US Scrambles to Rehire Nuclear Staff It Fired Amid Security Concerns

The US government is trying to rehire nuclear safety employees it had fired just days ago, after concerns arose that their dismissal could jeopardize national security.

The layoffs, which affected staff from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), were part of President Donald Trump’s push to downsize the federal workforce. However, the sudden job cuts have sparked serious concerns over the nation’s nuclear security.

Mass Layoffs and Immediate Reversals

On Thursday, hundreds of Energy Department employees received termination letters, including more than 300 NNSA workers, according to US media reports. The Department of Energy (DOE) later disputed the figure, claiming that fewer than 50 NNSA staff were let go.

However, some of those fired were stationed at nuclear weapons facilities, raising alarms over national security risks.

By Friday, the Trump administration was already trying to reverse the terminations—but faced a major problem:

The dismissed employees were locked out of their federal email accounts, making it difficult to contact them.
A memo obtained by NBC News urged supervisors to track down personal contact emails of fired staff.

“The termination letters for some NNSA probationary employees are being rescinded, but we do not have a good way to get in touch with those personnel,” the memo stated.

Trump’s Federal Workforce Reduction Plan

These layoffs are part of Trump’s broader effort to cut government spending and reduce the federal workforce. Since taking office on January 20, Trump has pushed for:

Eliminating the Department of Education
Slashing budgets across federal agencies
Mass firings of probationary employees (those with less than a year on the job)

So far, nearly 10,000 federal workers have been laid off, in addition to 75,000 employees who accepted a voluntary buyout last fall.

Elon Musk’s Role in Government Restructuring

Trump’s downsizing efforts are receiving help from billionaire Elon Musk, who is leading an initiative called the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).

Musk’s team has been reviewing federal agency data and helping implement buyout offers.
The project aims to streamline government operations and reduce wasteful spending.

Legal Challenges and Backlash

The sweeping cuts have led to over 60 lawsuits against the Trump administration in less than a month. Critics argue that these hasty terminations could compromise national security, especially in critical sectors like nuclear safety.

With the NNSA rehiring efforts now underway, the situation underscores the risks of sudden workforce reductions in high-stakes government sectors.