Energy department forced to rehire fired employees after major DOGE mistake caused security concerns

Another set of DOGE-related cuts have been reversed

DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) seems to be making one mistake after another in recent days, with the latest blunder involving the rehiring of employees who were ‘mistakenly’ let go during massive budget cuts in a crucial energy department — raising serious concerns over national security.

Since its formation just months ago, cuts have been at the core of DOGE’s mission. Spearheaded by Elon Musk, this private agency has set incredibly ambitious goals to reduce wasteful federal spending.

After sending a government-wide email threatening the jobs of over 100,000 workers, Musk’s team has been slashing through key federal departments, canceling contracts, and eliminating positions they deem unnecessary — all in the name of efficiency. However, this approach has led to a growing number of mistakes that are beginning to raise alarms about its long-term impact.

DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) has already claimed an estimated $105 billion in savings—though experts are starting to question the validity of these numbers—by slashing budgets in areas like Education, Labor, Social Security, and more. However, recent moves have led to a series of embarrassing errors that are now being walked back.

In some cases, job cuts have reduced entire departments to just one employee—the legal minimum required—yet many employees are now being rehired after being let go in mass layoffs by DOGE. The repercussions have been felt across the board, with some key functions, like Ebola prevention, having to be “restored” after being accidentally canceled. Despite these efforts, experts argue that the response is far from sufficient.

The Independent has reported that Musk and his team are now facing a ‘scramble’ to convince former employees from the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA) to return to their positions, as national security concerns continue to grow.

The original decision to let go of some of America’s top nuclear specialists is being called a “massive mistake” by insiders, who suggest that DOGE’s staff simply didn’t understand the critical nature of these roles. “No one has taken the time to understand what we do or the importance of our work to national security,” a source within the NNSA told CNN. Another source added, “Congress is freaking out because it seems like the Department of Energy didn’t realize that the NNSA oversees the nuclear stockpile.”

It is understood that most of the employees who were fired by DOGE were probationary, having been in their roles for less than a year (two years in some cases). However, nearly all of these workers have now been asked to return to their positions.

The justification for these mass layoffs was reportedly poor performance, as cited by political officials at the Department of Energy. This led to the resignation of two non-political HR administrators in protest, just prior to the rehiring of the affected employees.

“The nuclear deterrent is the backbone of American security and stability—period,” one source emphasized when discussing the critical role of the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA). “For there to be even the smallest holes poked in the maintenance of that deterrent should be extremely frightening to people.”

Another source echoed these concerns, calling the layoffs “frightening,” noting that the NNSA plays a crucial role in maintaining sensors in Ukraine to track nuclear risks, whether intentional or unintentional. This, coupled with President Trump’s antagonistic stance towards Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, has many experts fearing imminent nuclear threats.