President Trump orders restart of nuclear weapons testing after 33-year hiatus
President Donald Trump has directed the Pentagon to resume nuclear testing after a decades-long hiatus.
Years of timecard fraud at a Texas factory where U.S. nuclear weapons are assembled and disassembled compromised production schedules and operational safety procedures, and subsequent firings caused quality control problems for the nuclear weapons made there, according to a federal oversight report.
New information about the timing scandal at the Pantex factory near Amarillo, Texas, was revealed in a Nov. 26 audit by the Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General. The Justice Department’s announcement regarding the long-running fraud scheme said some of the factory’s weapons production engineers submitted timecards that exceeded their working hours. According to the government, the fraudulent timecard submissions occurred from 2014 to 2020.
The audit said the missed shifts directly led to “delays in production” and “an adverse impact on business performance,” a formal work procedure designed to keep nuclear workers, the public and the environment safe.
The company that oversees the Pantex factory disciplined its engineers, and at least some were fired. Department of Energy auditors found that the layoffs led to a loss of employee expertise and caused other problems. Training and security screening of replacement and temporary employees cost about $8.4 million, and Pantex has since also seen an increase in Weapons Quality Incident Reports documenting errors in manufacturing nuclear weapons.
The IG’s audit did not quantify the increase in “weapon quality incident reports” after the shooting, nor did it show any examples of such errors. However, a September 2023 report by a Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board inspector stationed at Pantex details how technicians accidentally assembled a “nuclear explosive device” by crossing electrical wires. The report said the replaced wires were “labeled and color-coded,” so they passed undetected by Pantex quality control technicians.
Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, a contractor that once operated a National Nuclear Security Administration plant, self-reported timesheet discrepancies to federal authorities and paid the Justice Department $18.4 million in 2024 to settle claims without admitting liability. The company currently manages the Y-12 National Security Facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where it manufactures components for nuclear weapons.
“The Department of Justice and the (Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General) recognize CNS’ cooperation, support, and corrective actions taken to prevent a recurrence,” company spokeswoman Ann Smith said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY. “CNS fulfills our vital national security mission with the highest standards of excellence, ethics and integrity.”
Both CNS and the new contractor operating Pantex, PenTeXas Deterrence LLC, addressed future timekeeping concerns by requiring technicians to enter and leave the facility at the beginning and end of their shifts.
Davis Winkie’s role covers nuclear threats and national security for USA TODAY. Outrider Foundation and Journalism funding partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.
