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Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News
Poppy Bilderbeck
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News
Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) workforce optimization initiative is reportedly backtracking and scrabbling to un-fire workers who were overseeing the US' nuclear stockpile.
US President Trump's implementing of an executive order to 'reform the federal workforce to better serve Americans' isn't quite working to 'better serve Americans' as well as he hoped. Indeed, officials fired a number of National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) workers without allegedly realizing they 'oversee the nuclear stockpile'.
On February 11, a fact sheet posted online by the White House details how Trump's government plans on 'reforming the federal workforce to better serve Americans'.
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One of the ways the executive order states it'll 'make the federal workforce more efficient and effective' is by consulting with DOGE to 'shrink the size of the federal workforce and limit hiring to essential positions' - 'significantly reducing the size of the government'.
Indeed, on February 14, Reuters reported two sources confirmed more than 300 members of staff were fired at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) with termination notices reportedly sent out on February 13.
An Energy Department spokesperson has disputed this number and says the number is significantly lower, telling CNN it was 'less than 50 people' who were dismissed and they 'held primarily administrative and clerical roles'.
Another source told the outlet 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 any even very small holes poked even in the maintenance of that deterrent should be extremely frightening to people," they added.
Indeed, whatever number was fired, officials are clearly now realizing their mistake getting rid of even some workers who help manage the US nuclear weapons fleet, given they're desperately trying to un-fire them - an email obtained by NBC news revealing they're struggling with how to reach the workers.
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to NNSA employees, the email reportedly reads: "The termination letters for some NNSA probationary employees are being rescinded, but we do not have a good way to get in touch with those personnel.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."
Further to this, an NNSA nuclear safety specialist fired on Thursday told NBC News she was still locked out of her emails, but her manager had gotten in touch to inform her the termination notice had been 'rescinded'.
While she's said she'll go back, she notes she'll be leaving 'as soon as [she] find[s] another role'.
UNILAD has contacted the Department of Energy - within which is the NNSA - for comment.