Trump admin's botched rehiring: Nuclear staff unreachable
The US government is attempting to rehire employees responsible for nuclear security who were laid off last week. The problem is that many of them have lost access to official accounts, making them unreachable, according to the BBC.
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), responsible for nuclear security in the US, has found itself at the centre of controversy. Last week, hundreds of employees from this institution were laid off, and now the Trump administration is trying to reinstate some of them.
According to reports from American media, over 300 people were laid off from the NNSA, but a spokesperson for the Department of Energy disputes these numbers, claiming that the layoffs affected "fewer than 50 people."
It now appears some of the laid-off employees have already received information about the voiding of their termination decisions. The problem is that the government has no way to contact them because their access to federal email accounts has been cut off. Authorities are asking current employees for help in reaching those who were previously laid off, according to reports.
10,000 layoffs and further reductions on the horizon
The BBC reports that the layoffs at the NNSA are only part of a broader initiative to reduce positions within the federal administration. Last week, according to media reports, nearly 10,000 people lost their jobs. This is in addition to the 75,000 employees who chose to leave voluntarily in the fall as part of a cost-saving program.
The authorities also ordered the dismissal of almost all employees on probationary periods, meaning those who have been working in the administration for less than a year and have not yet gained employment protection. This could affect hundreds of thousands of people.
The Trump administration announced further cost-cutting measures, including the planned elimination of the Department of Education.
Musk assists in the cuts
Elon Musk is assisting Donald Trump in implementing cost-saving plans. The billionaire leads a team of analysts evaluating the situation in various government agencies. This group operates under the name Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk and his collaborators are tasked with assessing which departments and positions can be reduced. Their activities have sparked controversy, with critics pointing to the lack of transparency in their actions and potential threats to national security.
Mass layoffs have triggered a veritable avalanche of court cases. Since the inauguration of Trump's presidency, more than 60 lawsuits have been filed against the US government regarding employment reductions.
