Trump team mistakenly fires nuclear security employees and struggles to get them back

The Trump administration, with the help of Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), carried out mass layoffs in several federal agencies. 

Among them, many highly qualified employees of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) were laid off without notice.

The next day, the administration attempted to reintegrate some of these employees after realizing they were essential to national security. However, they no longer had access to their government email addresses, making their localization difficult.

An internal email from the NNSA revealed the extent of the problem. It stated that several termination letters had been canceled, but the agency had no direct means to contact the affected employees.

These workers, having lost their access to federal systems upon their dismissal, could no longer be contacted by their former supervisors. The NNSA had to ask the remaining employees to relay the information to the laid-off individuals.

The government downsizing initiative led by Trump and Musk resulted in massive layoffs, sometimes carried out without consideration of the critical functions of employees. These hasty dismissals affected several departments, including nuclear security and homeland security.

Some of the laid-off employees were directly involved in monitoring nuclear risks, particularly in Ukraine. Ironically, these layoffs occurred at the very moment a Russian drone struck the Chernobyl nuclear plant, heightening the urgency of their mission.

The speed with which these layoffs were carried out has raised questions about their legality. Several experts argue that these decisions violate statutory protections and jeopardize the ability of agencies to function properly.

A nuclear security specialist from the NNSA, who was fired and then reinstated, revealed that she plans to continue looking for another job. She stated that she has “lost all trust” in the stability of her position within the federal government under Trump and Elon Musk.

Meanwhile, the White House under the Trump-Musk administration is facing increasing opposition. Numerous unions, Democratic elected officials, and progressive organizations are condemning these purges and have filed more than 60 lawsuits against the administration.

The mass layoffs of highly qualified personnel, particularly in critical areas like nuclear security, create a major risk for national safety. Disengaging from employees without even assessing their strategic role could have disastrous consequences. This crisis highlights the dangers of impulsive and disorganized management of federal personnel by Elon Musk.