WASHINGTON – Former Rep. Brandon Williams, President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the National Nuclear Security Administration, told a Senate panel Tuesday he would “speak up” for the “men and women” that work for the agency.

“If confirmed, I commit to you that I will stand up for the men and women of NNSA [National Nuclear Security Administration], that we are, that I will advocate for them,” Williams said. “We’re facing a moment in history where NNSA must perform.”

William’s comments on advocating for what he called the “specialized” workforce handling the U.S. nuclear stockpile come days after a leaked administration memo that said only 56% of the DOE workforce should be considered essential, while 8,500 DOE staff, including 500 NNSA employees, could be deemed non-essential.

Since the memo was leaked Friday, many Senators asked Williams at his confirmation hearing, which included three other witnesses, if he would stand up for NNSA’s workforce. While Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) did not ask Williams questions at the hearing, she sent him a letter Monday questioning his qualifications for the role, and asked him to respond by the following Monday, Apr. 14, whether he supports the mass firings at NNSA, as well as other questions.

Warren and her staff told the Exchange Monitor in the halls of the Capitol that Williams has not responded to her letter yet.

Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), ranking member of the Armed Services Strategic Forces subcommittee, questioned what costs would be cut since he “did a little calculation” and cutting 20% of NNSA’s workforce, or 500 employees, only took up two-tenths of a percent of the agency’s budget. “What’s to be gained by reducing the staff by 20% of this essential, essential agency in this moment of the rebuilding of our nuclear triad,” King said.

“The effect on morale in the workforce I think is something to be considered,” King added, referring to the 500 people referred to as “non-essential” during the “demands” on the workforce since the “founding of the agency.” “I hope you can address this early in your tenure.”

Also in the hearing, Williams said plutonium pit production was “right at the heart” and the “critical path” to restoring the capability to either build new nuclear weapons or refurbish the existing stockpile. He also said he would “not advise” returning to critical testing, and should instead rely on the scientific data of the 928 critical nuclear weapons tests performed by the United States in the past.

During Trump’s election campaign, some of his former advisors came out in support of a readiness to return to testing nuclear weapons at a critical level. Project 2025, a conservative policy document released over the summer and written by former Trump administration advisors, listed in its “needed reforms” that a “readiness to test nuclear weapons at the Nevada National Security Site [will] ensure the ability of the U.S. to respond quickly to asymmetric technology surprises.” 

The U.S. has not tested nuclear weapons at full yield since 1992 and has only conducted subcritical, zero-yield experiments in a self-imposed moratorium that roughly mirrors the provisions of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which the country has not ratified. 

The last subcritical experiment took place in May 2024, but officials told the Exchange Monitor in December that the next subcritical shot will take place this month at Nevada National Security Site.