The U.S. Department of Energy says more than 40% of its workforce may face layoffs as part of a Trump administration plan to restructure the agency and cut federal staffing.
Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill.
In short:
- The DOE identified about 7,000 of its nearly 16,000 positions as nonessential in an internal document.
- The list of “essential” offices includes cybersecurity, nuclear security, and several power administrations, while other offices remain unnamed.
- Layoffs across the federal government are also expected at other major agencies, including Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs.
Key quote:
“Arbitrary staffing cuts across the Department of Energy would recklessly jeopardize its ability to fulfill its mission to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing our energy, environmental, and nuclear security challenges.”
— Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.)
Why this matters:
The proposed cuts, reportedly framed around reducing “nonessential” roles, come at a time when the U.S. energy system is under growing strain from climate change, aging infrastructure, and geopolitical tensions. From overseeing nuclear weapons and managing radioactive waste to funding clean energy research and securing the national electric grid, the DOE plays a quiet but indispensable role in both public health and environmental safety. Experts warn that redefining entire offices as dispensable could paralyze efforts to modernize the grid, track energy-related pollution, or respond to crises such as pipeline attacks or extreme weather outages. And as global temperatures continue to climb, any retreat from sustained scientific investment or environmental oversight could leave communities — particularly those near nuclear sites or fossil fuel facilities — vulnerable to cascading hazards.
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