White House blames ‘Democratic shutdown’ for nuclear agency furloughs

FIRST ON FOX: The White House denounced the “Democratic shutdown” on the grounds that it “endangered national security” as 80% of the federal agency responsible for protecting the US nuclear stockpile will be furloughed in the coming days, the administration told Fox News Digital.

“The Democratic shutdown now puts our national security at risk,” White House Press Secretary Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital Friday afternoon. “By refusing to pass the bipartisan, clean funding expansion, Democrats are causing a drain on funds for critical programs, resulting in layoffs for National Nuclear Security Administration staff who manage our nuclear stockpile.

“This is reckless and could be completely avoided if Democrats would simply vote to reopen the government and stop holding the American people hostage.”

WHITE HOUSE SAYS FEDERAL LAYS COULD REACH “THOUSANDS” BEFORE TRUMP, VOUGHT MEETING

People watch the National Nuclear Security Administration’s AW139 Aerial Measurement System helicopter during an air show at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, September 14, 2025. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

An administration official confirmed to Fox Digital that 80% of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s staff will be laid off as available funds are soon spent.

The National Nuclear Security Administration operates within the U.S. Department of Energy, maintains the nation’s nuclear stockpile, and works to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons in foreign countries.

The agency will then enter minimum security operations, meaning remaining employees will focus on maintaining physical security, cybersecurity, nuclear safety and emergency management, according to an administration official.

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“We haven’t laid anyone off yet, but we will be out of funds by tomorrow or early next week,” Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on the right. (Reuters)

“We haven’t laid anyone off yet, but we will run out of funds by tomorrow or early next week,” Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright said. told Bloomberg News Friday holiday coming up. “So we will be forced to do so if this closure continues.

“We’ve paid them so far, but starting tomorrow, Monday at the latest, we won’t be able to pay these workers. If this continues for long, they might find other jobs,” Wright told Bloomberg, putting “the sovereignty of the country” at stake.

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The administration official told Fox News Digital that there would be significant impacts to the agency’s nuclear deterrent mission as various offices closed during the shutdown, and the consequences of the shutdown are expected to last beyond the government’s eventual reopening.

“As our adversaries build more silos and weapons, we will turn off the lights,” the administration official said.

The U.S. government has been in the grip of a rolling shutdown since Oct. 1, when Senate lawmakers failed to pass a 2026 funding bill. (J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press)

Republican lawmakers also weighed in on the upcoming furloughs, including Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers during a House news conference Friday.

“We were just informed last night from the National Nuclear Security Administration, the group that manages the nuclear stockpile, that the carryover funds they have been using are about to be exhausted,” he said. “These are not employees we want to send home. They manage and handle a very important strategic asset for us. They need to be at work and get paid.”

The U.S. government has been in the grip of a rolling shutdown since Oct. 1, when Senate lawmakers failed to pass a 2026 funding bill.

The Trump administration and Republicans have since placed blame for the shutdown on Democrats, saying they sought taxpayer-funded medical benefits for illegal immigrants. Democrats denied wanting to finance health care for illegal immigrants and instead blamed Republicans for the shutdown.

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“Every day that Republicans refuse to negotiate to end this shutdown, the worse it gets for Americans — and the clearer it becomes who is fighting for them,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told Fox Digital earlier in October about the shutdown.

“Every day our argument for improving health care and ending this shutdown gets stronger and stronger, stronger and stronger because families open their letters showing how much their premiums will increase if Republicans get what they want.”