The guardians of America's nuclear arsenal are reportedly terrified about Trump

President-elect Donald Trump's latest decisions about the National Nuclear Security Administration have led one Energy Department insider to conclude "we're so very very f---ed." The sentiment, conveyed in an interview with Gizmodo published Monday, followed Trump's decision Friday to inform the NNSA head and his deputy that they'll be out of a job when he takes office on Jan. 20.
While it's not uncommon for political appointees to resign on inauguration day, Gizmodo noted that's not usually what happens with appointees for the NNSA, the agency that "maintains and enhances the safety, security and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear weapon stockpile." Trump's team reportedly hasn't selected anyone to succeed them, which raises the question of who exactly will be in charge of finagling funding and heading up new initiatives.
Trump has also ousted the under secretary for nuclear security and his deputy, and the insider told Gizmodo more vacancies could crop up down the chain of command. "There are scores more appointees within the department," the Energy Department insider told Gizmodo. "Secretarial and administration appointments that don't require Senate confirmation, mostly performing policy, liaison, and strategic advisory capacities in support of the agency they're at. They serve at the will of the head of their agency. Those people are, theoretically, also out on inauguration day unless otherwise directed, which hasn't happened yet to my knowledge."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Per Gizmodo's tally, this will mark the first time in the NNSA's 17 years in existence that it will not have any appointed leadership whatsoever. Which, again, leads us back to the Energy Department insider's quote: "I'm more and more coming around to the idea that we're so very very f---ed."
For the full story, head over to Gizmodo.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Easy listening: the best audiobooks
The Week Recommends Swap hefty hardbacks for hands-free reading this summer
-
Sharenting: does covering children's faces on social media protect them?
In The Spotlight Privacy trend has 'trickled down' from celebrity parents but it may not protect your kids
-
Syria's returning refugees
The Explainer Thousands of Syrian refugees are going back to their homeland but conditions there remain extremely challenging
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Supreme Court lets states ax Planned Parenthood funds
Speed Read The court ruled that Planned Parenthood cannot sue South Carolina over the state's effort to deny it funding
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump