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ICYMI: Trump Fired And Unfired The Employees That Manage Our Nuclear Stockpile : 1A It was an abrupt about-face. Last Thursday, federal employees at the agency that manages the U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons were suddenly let go by the Trump administration, with some employees receiving the news late Thursday night.

Then, as early as the next morning, some of those firings were reversed, with employees being told they should come back to work.

The White House has struggled to reach some of the employees it fired to tell them that they still have their jobs.

We discuss what's happening at the Department of Energy's agency for our nuclear stockpile and what this latest firing of federal employees could mean for our security.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

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ICYMI: Trump Fired And Unfired The Employees That Manage Our Nuclear Stockpile

ICYMI: Trump Fired And Unfired The Employees That Manage Our Nuclear Stockpile

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U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks before signing an executive order on expanding access to IVF at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

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U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks before signing an executive order on expanding access to IVF at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

It was an abrupt about-face. Last Thursday, federal employees at the agency that manages the U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons were suddenly let go by the Trump administration, with some employees receiving the news late Thursday night.

Then, as early as the next morning, some of those firings were reversed, with employees being told they should come back to work.

The White House has struggled to reach some of the employees it fired to tell them that they still have their jobs.

What is happening at the Department of Energy's agency for our nuclear stockpile? And what could this latest firing of federal employees mean for our security?

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.