USA 
United Kingdom
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is urgently trying to recall probationary employees that it just fired as part of the Trump administration’s federal cost-cutting initiative.
The NNSA, responsible for overseeing US nuclear weapons, is facing difficulties contacting the affected workers because their personal information is missing.
An internal email obtained by NBC News revealed that termination letters for some employees are being rescinded, but officials are struggling to notify them. The message urged supervisors to track down personal contact details to inform workers of their reinstatement.
“The termination letters for some NNSA probationary employees are being rescinded, but we do not have a good way to get in touch with those personnel,” the agency said in the email.
“Please work with your supervisors to send this information (once you get it) to people’s personal contact emails,” the note added.
Modernization program
The NNSA operates under the Department of Energy, overseeing key facilities including Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, Los Alamos in New Mexico, and the Y-12 National Security Complex in Tennessee. The agency, which manages a $25 billion annual budget and employs over 65,000 people, is currently overseeing a weapons modernization program.
The sudden reversal follows the administration’s aggressive push to downsize federal agencies, targeting probationary employees to streamline operations. The need to recall some workers, however, highlights operational challenges tied to the layoffs.
The US is projected to spend $756 billion on nuclear forces from 2023 to 2032, according to a Congressional Budget Office report. The Biden administration’s 2022 nuclear posture review emphasized the importance of the US nuclear arsenal in deterring adversaries, particularly amid tensions with Russia, China, and North Korea.
Security measures
Meanwhile, Donald Trump reiterated his stance on nuclear disarmament, calling for global denuclearization once geopolitical conflicts are resolved. He criticized the continued development of nuclear weapons, arguing that existing arsenals are already excessively destructive.
The NNSA’s struggle to retrieve laid-off employees highlights the complexities of balancing national security needs with such vigorous cost-cutting measures, particularly in a sector as sensitive as nuclear weapons management.
