Nearly 10,000 probationary employees were laid off within days due to the layoffs initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), leading Tesla. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), responsible for nuclear safety, a key aspect of U.S. security, was no exception, and some nuclear experts were also laid off, leading to a situation where some of the dismissals were retracted. CNN noted, "Musk's dream is coming true."
According to Reuters on the 16th, probationary employees from the U.S. Departments of the Interior, Energy, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services have been largely laid off. About 2,300 from the Department of the Interior, 2,000 from the Department of Energy, 3,400 from the Forest Service, and 1,300 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the Department of Health and Human Services were among those laid off, nearing 10,000 in total. Particularly, the number of employees laid off from the Forest Service and CDC accounted for 10% of their entire workforce. In the U.S., the term "Valentine's Day massacre" has also emerged.
The large-scale 'new employee layoff' at government departments and agencies right after the new administration took office was due to President Trump directing all probationary employees with less than one year of service in federal agencies to be dismissed. These individuals, having relatively loose protections, became targets. Earlier, on the 11th, President Trump signed an executive order directing large-scale layoffs while sitting next to Musk, the head of DOGE.
The large-scale layoffs occurred unusually quickly. According to foreign media, thousands of laid-off employees received termination notices via pre-recorded videos or group calls, with some being ordered to leave the building within 30 minutes. It is reported that among those laid off this time, some long-serving employees were included.
The Trump administration is promoting workforce reductions in the U.S. federal government with a focus on efficiency. The goal of the Trump administration is to reduce 2% to 5% (46,000 to 115,000 employees) of an estimated 2.3 million federal employees.
Each department is also preparing for further layoffs. Newly appointed Minister Brooke Rollins of the Department of Agriculture said, "There will be additional layoffs going forward."
The rapid pace of the layoffs has also triggered security concerns, leading to 'personnel accidents.' According to CNN, about 400 were laid off from the NNSA on the 14th, including national nuclear experts. Although the layoff decision was retracted on the same day, the aftereffects are substantial. CNN reported that the NNSA is struggling to rehire some of the employees who were critical in their roles.
The NNSA is responsible for designing, maintaining, managing, and dismantling nuclear weapons, as well as responding to nuclear emergencies. It also plays a crucial role in preventing terrorism and in the nationwide transportation of nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, it has not been able to avoid the large-scale layoffs promoted by the Trump administration.
An internal source said, "Nuclear deterrence is the backbone of U.S. security, and if even a small hole is opened in that deterrence, it would create an extremely frightening situation." However, DOGE has decided on indiscriminate layoffs without recognizing this importance.
While the sharp blade of restructuring is aimed at the very heart of security, there is little way to restrain it. This is because the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), a federal agency protecting workers' rights, is not functioning properly.
The NLRB was effectively shut down after President Trump fired the third of five commissioners. Two of the five board seats are vacant due to expired terms. The board cannot operate properly due to a lack of quorum needed for decision-making.
CNN noted, "This agency has become a headache for some of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the U.S., especially for Elon Musk, who is considered a financial and political supporter of Trump."