Over the past two days, intense scenes of confusion erupted at the civilian agency responsible for managing the nation’s nuclear arsenal, particularly as mass firings from the Trump administration sparked a “pause” on Friday.

This detailed overview of firings at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) draws from interviews with current and former employees who requested anonymity due to fears of retribution from the Trump administration.

Officials were provided mere hours to terminate hundreds of employees, with workers locked out of their emails as termination notices were dispatched. These dismissals were among broader layoffs at the Department of Energy, where over a thousand federal workers were reported as terminated. This was instituted under Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative aimed at reducing federal employment and tackling what Musk and President Trump described as excessive government expenditure.

The NNSA operates as a semi-autonomous division within the Department of Energy, overseeing a vast stockpile of nuclear weapons in the U.S. Despite its name suggesting a focus on national security, managers at the agency were informed last Friday that they would not receive exemptions related to national security concerns. This came as a shock to agency personnel, many of whom had hastily prepared performance summaries for approximately 300 probationary employees who had joined the federal workforce within the last two years.

Supervisors were provided only 200 characters to justify the significance of the roles these workers fulfilled.

This proved challenging for the relatively low-profile agency, which undertakes a range of nuclear security duties. This includes maintaining the nation’s nuclear arsenal when they are not deployed on missiles and bombers, as well as overseeing critical safety and security enhancements for the warheads. Some personnel were tasked with ensuring emergency response strategies were formulated for facilities, such as a large site in Texas housing numerous decommissioned warheads. Others focused on averting the acquisition of weapons-grade materials by terrorists or rogue nations. Many held “Q” clearances, which denote the highest level of security clearance within the Department of Energy.

The Department of Energy’s press office did not respond to NPR’s repeated requests for comments.

As the firings approached, management hastily compiled lists of essential staff and advocated for their retention.

Ultimately, these efforts bore no fruit. On Thursday, officials were informed that the majority of their requested exemptions had been denied by the Trump administration. Multiple current and former employees revealed to NPR that numerous individuals were informed verbally about their terminations. Many were forced to vacate their workspaces immediately. “It was devastating,” shared one employee who was among those dismissed from the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

However, what transpired afterward was even more perplexing. Employees were informed they would receive a formal letter confirming their layoffs.

Some did receive a letter late at night, shortly followed by their work emails being disabled. “Per OPM [Office of Personnel Management] instructions, DOE finds that your continued employment would not align with the public interest,” the letter noted. This communication echoed similar letters sent throughout the Department of Energy. Meanwhile, other employees who were informed of their layoffs never received any written confirmation.

Amidst the upheaval, employees contacted by NPR on Friday were left uncertain about their status at the agency. “There’s no clarity on whether anyone is fired,” one employee remarked. Some employees still had their work laptops and materials, which did not contain classified information.

On Friday, a source within the NNSA mentioned the layoffs had been “paused,” largely due to the chaotic nature of the process. Another employee indicated their termination had been “rescinded.” Nonetheless, many remained concerned about the potential repercussions. Nuclear security roles often require specialized technical skills and operate under significant pressure, but they are not necessarily well-compensated. Given the events of the past 24 hours, “who would want to pursue these jobs?” lamented an employee.