The Dictatorship

Trump and Musk want to re-hire people who keep U.S. nuclear weapons safe — if they can find them

Published

8 months ago

February 19, 2025

Trump and Musk want to re-hire people who keep U.S. nuclear weapons safe — if they can find them

You may think we have too many nuclear weapons. Or you may think we don’t have enough. One thing you most certainly do not think, however, is that we should arbitrarily fire the people who keep these weapons safe and secure. But that is exactly what happened last week when the Trump administration suddenly fired 300 of the 1,800 people working at the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) in Washington, D.C.

Emails went out at 3 p.m. on Thursday announcing immediate firings. Without warning, dozens of people were told to step away from their computers and physically escorted out of the building, their digital access to the agency blocked and all connections to their work wiped away.

Many of those fired are part of the management team overseeing tens of thousands of scientists, engineers and technicians who build, maintain and guard the U.S. arsenal of some 5,000 nuclear weapons.

All of the people fired were probationary employees, meaning they had worked in their jobs for only one to two years. This included some fresh out of graduate school, as well as experienced officials switching to new assignments. Since they have fewer rights than permanent employees, they were apparently seen by Elon Musk and his shadowy “Department of Government Efficiency” or DOGE, which conducted the mass firings, as easy targets in their effort to decimate the federal government workforce.

The firings were part of hundreds of termination notices sent to workers at the Department of Energy, the parent organization of the nuclear agency. It appears that DOGE made the decision based purely on their status, without knowing what the workers actually did.

Nnsa has”https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/16/us/politics/trump-national-nuclear-security-administration-employees-firings.html?smid=url-share” target=”_blank”> two primary missions. Many of those fired are part of the management team overseeing tens of thousands of highly skilled scientists, engineers and technicians who build, maintain and guard the U.S. arsenal of some 5,000 nuclear weapons. Other fired officials work on NNSA’s other, equally vital mission of preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and materials.

These threat reduction programs began when the collapse of the Soviet Union triggered fears of “loose nukes” in the hands of terrorists and outlaw nations. The programs took on new urgency after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 raised the specter of nuclear terrorism. They include everything from radiation detectors that help prevent nuclear smuggling to export controls that block, for example, Iran from getting technologies it could use to build a nuclear bomb.

Outcries from experts, officials and members of Congress about the risks to national security forced Trump officials to reverse course. They announced last Friday that they now want to rehire the workers. The problem is that they don’t know how to reach them.

NBC News obtained a memo sent to NNSA employees that reads, in part: “The termination letters for some NNSA probationary employees are being rescinded, but we do not have a good way to get in touch with those personnel.” With the former employees locked out of their email accounts, Trump officials are now struggling to track down personal phone numbers. But even when reached, the workers are less than enthusiastic about returning.

“I will be honest, I intend to keep looking for work,” one employee told NBC News. “I will go back, but as soon as I find another role, I’ll be leaving.” Asked why she will still look for employment elsewhere, she said that she has “no faith I will keep my job.”

The chaos and confusion is likely to continue in the coming weeks. There are indications that Musk and President Donald Trump will soon issue sweeping Reduction in Force orders that could fire tens of thousands of federal workers, including those in vital nuclear security positions.

The chaos may be the point. Trump wants to demoralize the federal workforce, to weaken resistance to the executive orders pouring out of the Oval Office and pave the way for massive layoffs. “The organizing idea behind what they’re doing is that Trump wants to be king,” S. Chris van Hollen, D-MD., Said. “He doesn’t want to be accountable to the law, and the American people are getting hurt.”

Trump wants to demoralize the federal workforce, to weaken resistance to the executive orders pouring out of the Oval Office and pave the way for massive layoffs.

Chaos and nuclear weapons are not a good mix. There are certainly savings to be found in the massive nuclear weapons complex, still sized to support a Cold War-sized arsenal even though the current number of U.S. weapons is one-sixth the amount of the 1980s. However, abruptly firing employees without cause and without a coherent plan is a recipe for disaster, not savings.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., blasted the movecondemning the firing of nuclear workers and those in other vital government positions. “There is nothing ‘efficient’ about indiscriminately firing thousands upon thousands of workers in red and blue states whose work is badly needed,” she said. “Two billionaires who have zero concept of what the federal workforce does are breaking the American government — decimating essential services and leaving all of us worse off.”

NNSA requires a set of skills that are difficult to find. It takes years to train the managers, engineers and technicians involved in the nuclear programs. Treating them with contempt and calculated cruelty is not the way to retain their loyalty. Many could make much higher salaries in private companies but see their work on controlling nuclear weapons as a noble goal worth some personal sacrifice.

Senior officials in the previous administration warned of problems retaining this professional workforce because of the long hours and competition from the private sector. Instead of incentivizing their retention, Musk and Trump are discouraging current and future generations from government work. The loss of experience, talent and knowledge will cause enormous harm to U.S. national security that could take decades to repair.

The danger is not over. Although embarrassed officials had to walk back the immediate firings, it is not at all clear if the returning officials will report back to their same positions and responsibilities. Nor is there any indication that Musk’s agents understand the nature of the programs they are gutting. This may be particularly true of programs that fund nuclear security efforts abroad. Musk and Trump’s “America First” vision may well see funding border guards or nuclear safeguards in other nations as handouts to foreigners, particularly those programs operating in the Global South.

“They have no understanding as to why this is important,” one former NNSA official told me. “They will see trips to Indonesia for a nuclear security seminar as a vacation and not at all vital for U.S. national security. They will pick out a line item in a program and use it to mock the entire effort. ‘Why should we pay for African border guards?’ they’ll say. Their view is that we can just close U.S. borders and go it alone. But that is not possible if you truly want to stop the spread of materials that can be used in a nuclear or radiological bomb.”

Last week, Trump said“There’s no reason for us to be building brand new nuclear weapons, we already have so many.” There are plenty of programs he could cut to achieve that goal, including NNSA’s plan to build thousands of new “plutonium pits,” the cores of the new weapons Trump says we don’t need.

DOGE’s ham-fisted methods are no way to go about it. If Trump doesn’t want a nuclear 9/11 on his watch, he might want to pay a little more attention to the NNSA programs working to prevent it and call off Musk’s nuclear attack dogs.

The Dictatorship

Trump urges Israel to seize chance for peace ahead of Egypt summit and presses for Netanyahu pardon

Published

2 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Blue Light Newsroom

Trump urges Israel to seize chance for peace ahead of Egypt summit and presses for Netanyahu pardon

SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt (AP) — President Donald Trump called for a new era of harmony in the Middle East on Monday during a global summit on Gaza’s futuretrying to advance broader peace in the region after visiting Israel to celebrate a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Hamas.

“We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to put the old feuds and bitter hatreds behind us,” Trump said, and he urged leaders “to declare that our future will not be ruled by the fights of generations past.”

The whirlwind trip, which included the summit in Egypt and a speech at the Knesset in Jerusalem earlier in the day, comes at a fragile moment of hope for ending two years of war between Israel and Hamas.

“Everybody said it’s not possible to do. And it’s going to happen. And it is happening before your very eyes,” Trump said alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.

Nearly three dozen countries, including some from Europe and the Middle East, were represented at the summit. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited but declined, with his office saying it was too close to a Jewish holiday.

Trump, el-Sissi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani signed a document outlining a broad vision that Trump said would lay the groundwork for Gaza’s future.

Despite unanswered questions about next steps in the Palestinian enclave, which has been devastated during the conflictTrump is determined to seize an opportunity to chase an elusive regional harmony.

He expressed a similar sense of finality about the Israel-Hamas war in his speech at the Knesset, which welcomed him as a hero.

“You’ve won,” he told Israeli lawmakers. “Now it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.”

Trump promised to help rebuild Gaza, and he urged Palestinians to “turn forever from the path of terror and violence.”

“After tremendous pain and death and hardship,” he said, “now is the time to concentrate on building their people up instead of trying to tear Israel down.”

Trump even made a gesture to Iran, where he bombed three nuclear sites during the country’s brief war with Israel earlier this year, by saying “the hand of friendship and cooperation is always open.”

Trump’s whirlwind trip

Trump arrived in Egypt hours late because speeches at the Knesset continued longer than expected.

“They might not be there by the time I get there, but we’ll give it a shot,” Trump joked after needling Israeli leaders for talking so much.

Twenty hostages were released Monday as part of an agreement intended to end the war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, with an attack by Hamas-led militants. Trump talked with some of their families at the Knesset.

“Your name will be remembered to generations,” a woman told him.

Israeli lawmakers chanted Trump’s name and gave him standing ovation after standing ovation. Some people in the audience wore red hats that resembled his “Make America Great Again” caps, although these versions said “Trump, The Peace President.”

Netanyahu hailed Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,” and he promised to work with him going forward.

“Mr. President, you are committed to this peace. I am committed to this peace,” he said. “And together, Mr. President, we will achieve this peace.”

Trump, in an unexpected detour during his speech, called on the Israeli president to pardon Netanyahu, whom he described as “one of the greatest” wartime leaders. Netanyahu faces corruption chargesalthough several hearings have been postponed during the conflict with Hamas.

The Republican president also used the opportunity to settle political scores and thank his supporters, criticizing Democratic predecessors and praising a top donor, Miriam Adelsonin the audience.

Trump pushes to reshape the region

The moment remains fragile, with Israel and Hamas still in the early stages of implementing the first phase of Trump’s plan.

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement calls for the release of the final hostages held by Hamas; the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel; a surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza; and a partial pullback by Israeli forces from Gaza’s main cities.

Trump has said there’s a window to reshape the region and reset long-fraught relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

“The war is over, OK?” Trump told reporters traveling with him aboard Air Force One.

“I think people are tired of it,” he said, emphasizing that he believed the ceasefire would hold because of that.

He said the chance of peace was enabled by his Republican administration’s support of Israel’s decimation of Iranian proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The White House said momentum is also building because Arab and Muslim states are demonstrating a renewed focus on resolving the broader, decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in some cases, deepening relations with the United States.

In February, Trump had predicted that Gaza could be redeveloped into what he called “the Riviera of the Middle East.” But on Sunday aboard Air Force One, he was more circumspect.

“I don’t know about the Riviera for a while,” Trump said. “It’s blasted. This is like a demolition site.” But he said he hoped to one day visit the territory. “I’d like to put my feet on it, at least,” he said.

The sides have not agreed on Gaza’s postwar governance, the territory’s reconstruction and Israel’s demand that Hamas disarm. Negotiations over those issues could break down, and Israel has hinted it may resume military operations if its demands are not met.

Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubbleand the territory’s roughly 2 million residents continue to struggle in desperate conditions. Under the deal, Israel agreed to reopen five border crossings, which will help ease the flow of food and other supplies into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.

Roughly 200 U.S. troops will help support and monitor the ceasefire deal as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations and private-sector players.

___

Megerian reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Will Weissert and Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas war at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.

The Dictatorship

Naked bike riders demonstrate against troops in Portland…

Published

2 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Blue Light Newsroom

Naked bike riders demonstrate against troops in Portland…

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Protesters rallying against the Trump administration in Portland put the city’s quirky and irreverent reputation on display Sunday by pedaling through the streets wearing absolutely nothing — or close to it — in an “emergency” edition of the annual World Naked Bike Ride.

Crowds that have gathered daily and nightly outside the immigration facility in Oregon’s largest city in recent days have embraced the absurd, donning inflatable frog, unicorn, axolotl and banana costumes as they face off with federal law enforcement who often deploy tear gas and pepper balls.

The bike ride is an annual tradition that usually happens in the summer, but organizers of this weekend’s hastily called event said another nude ride was necessary to speak out against President Donald Trump’s attempts to mobilize the National Guard to quell protests.

Rider Janene King called the nude ride a “quintessentially Portland way to protest.”

The 51-year-old was naked except for wool socks, a wig and a hat. She sipped hot tea and said she was unbothered by the steady rain and temperatures in the mid-50s (about 12 Celsius).

“We definitely do not want troops coming into our city,” King said.

Bike riders made their way through the streets and to the city’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building. Authorities there ordered people to stay out of the street and protest only on sidewalks or risk being arrested.

The city is awaiting the ruling of an appeals court panel on whether Trump can send out the federalized troops after a federal judge on Oct. 5 ordered a temporary hold on deployment.

“Joy is a form of protest. Being together with mutual respect and kindness is a form of protest,” the ride’s organizers said on Instagram. “It’s your choice how much or little you wear.”

Fewer people were fully naked than usual — likely because of the cool, wet weather — but some still bared it all and rode wearing only bike helmets.

Naked bike rides have thronged the streets of Oregon’s largest city every year since 2004, often holding up traffic as the crowd cycles through with speakers playing music. Some years have drawn roughly 10,000 riders, according to Portland World Naked Bike Ride.

___

Weber reported from Los Angeles.

The Dictatorship

China calls for US to withdraw tariff threat

Published

2 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Blue Light Newsroom

China calls for US to withdraw tariff threat

BANGKOK (AP) — China did not back down Monday in a back-and-forth with the U.S. over trade, calling for U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw his latest threat of a 100% tariff and other export control measures announced over the weekend.

In the latest escalation of the trade war between the two nations, Trump issued the tariff threat on all Chinese imports into the U.S. after China placed stricter restrictions Thursday on rare earths, a vital resource used in electronics.

The Chinese announcement was an apparent surprise to Trump, who called it an “out of the blue” move. While Trump did not withdraw the economic threat, he sounded more conciliatory than in the past, saying in a Truth Social post Sunday, “The U.S.A. wants to help China, not hurt it!!!”

China’s Ministry of Commerce issued a lengthy response Sunday saying the U.S. was “severely damaging the atmosphere of trade negotiations.”

“China urges the U.S. to promptly correct its erroneous practices,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lin Jian said Monday. “If the U.S. insists on going its own way, China will certainly take resolute measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.”

Both nations have leveraged multiple dimensions of the trade relationship in the trade war, with actions ranging from U.S. restrictions on China’s ability to import advanced computer chips, China ending purchases of American soybeans and an exchange of tit-for-tat port fees.

Economic indicators show the retaliatory actions and uncertainty are impacting trade between the countries. Chinese trade data release Monday showed exports to the U.S. have fallen for six straight months, dropping 27% in September from the year before.