A US agency responsible for maintaining the nuclear stockpile has fired over hundreds of its staff.
Two former staffers confirmed to ABC news that probationary employees began receiving termination notices Thursday night.
They expressed worries that the agency of only about 1,800 employees was losing the key nuclear arms expertise that may never be replaced.
The National Nuclear Security Administration ensures "the United States maintains a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear stockpile," according to its website.
The firing also impacted the team of first responders that deploy to nuclear disasters around the globe and a counterterrorism division, which hunts down nuclear devices in the hands of US adversaries.
Multiple current and former employees, who spoke with ABC News described the situation as "a national security crisis."
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