The US nuclear weapons agency is now scrambling to rehire employees it recently dismissed. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) fired them on Thursday as part of President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting measures. However, the agency now admits it has no easy way to contact them.

Mass Layoffs Disrupt Nuclear Security

Earlier this week, hundreds of Department of Energy employees received termination letters. As part of a broader effort to shrink the federal workforce, Trump’s administration has pushed for major staff reductions. Last week, officials fired 10,000 federal workers. Moreover, around 75,000 employees had already accepted voluntary exits in the fall.

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As a result, these layoffs disrupted key operations. Many of the dismissed workers managed America’s nuclear arsenal. In addition, some were stationed at sites where nuclear weapons are built. Now, NNSA struggles to track them down. The agency even emailed its current staff, asking for assistance. “Please work with your supervisors to send this information (once you get it) to people’s contact emails,” the message stated.

Key Nuclear Facilities Affected

Furthermore, the NNSA, which operates under the Department of Energy, oversees several crucial nuclear sites, including:

  • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (California) – Ensures nuclear warhead safety.
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory (New Mexico) – Conducts nuclear research.
  • Pantex Plant (Texas) – Assembles nuclear weapons.
  • Y-12 National Security Complex (Tennessee) – Produces enriched uranium.

Currently, the agency functions with a $25 billion annual budget and is leading efforts to modernize nuclear weapons. It employs over 65,000 federal and contract workers across the country.

Trump Pushes for Denuclearization

Meanwhile, former President Joe Biden had previously approved a new nuclear strategy to prepare for threats from Russia, China, and North Korea. In addition, his administration modified the “no first use” policy, allowing a preemptive nuclear strike if necessary.

However, Trump now opposes expanding nuclear weapons. Last week, he stated that he wants all countries to reduce their stockpiles once Middle East and Ukraine conflicts stabilize.

“There’s no reason for us to be building brand-new nuclear weapons. We already have so many,” Trump said at the White House on Thursday. “You could destroy the world 50 times over, 100 times over. And here we are building new nuclear weapons, and they’re building nuclear weapons.”

Furthermore, he added, “We’re all spending a lot of money that we could be spending on other things that are actually, hopefully, much more productive.”

During the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump also stressed the high cost of nuclear weapons. “Tremendous amounts of money are being spent on nuclear, and the destructive capability is something that we don’t even want to talk about today because you don’t want to hear it,” he stated.

Trump Faces Growing Legal Challenges

Since returning to power on January 20, Trump’s administration has faced over 60 lawsuits. Consequently, legal challenges continue to grow as opposition to his policies increases.