National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Administrator Frank Klotz was asked to stay in his current role just before President Donald Trump’s inauguration last week and will stay on until Trump confirms a replacement for the position. Other top NNSA officials, however, have left the agency.
“To help ensure continuity in our critical nuclear security work, I’ve been asked to remain as the NNSA Administrator for a period of time,” Klotz wrote in an internal email sent to NNSA staff on Jan. 19, one day before Trump’s inauguration. “I’m truly honored to do so, and eagerly look forward to working with the incoming Secretary of Energy.”
An NNSA spokesperson said Klotz will stay on for an indefinite period of time. Klotz, a retired Air Force lieutenant general who led the service’s Global Strike Command for three years, has served in this position since 2014.
In his message, Klotz bid farewell to a set of non-career NNSA appointees, including: Madelyn Creedon, principal deputy administrator; Anne Harrington, deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation; Clarence Bishop, associate administrator for external affairs; Jed D’Ercole, deputy director of external affairs and director of congressional affairs; Thom Metzger, director of public affairs; Orfa Torres-Jaen, deputy director of congressional affairs; Francie Israeli, press secretary; and Clayton Allen, congressional affairs specialist.
In a separate Jan. 19 email to NNSA staff, Creedon said she would retire from public service the following day, “proud of my 36 years of service as a Federal employee.”
The NNSA’s leadership website now lists David Huizenga as acting deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation – the position vacated by Harrington. Huizenga was previously the principal assistant deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation and, prior to that, acting assistant secretary for DOE’s Office of Environmental Management.
William “Ike” White is listed as chief of staff and associate principal deputy administrator. He previously served as NNSA deputy associate administrator for safety and health. Philip Calbos is listed as acting deputy administrator for defense programs.
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) sent a letter to Trump last week expressing concern about NNSA and Defense Department continuity of operations and calling on the president to keep current leadership in their positions until replacements are appointed. Heinrich announced Monday the Trump administration had agreed to keep on NNSA management.
“I’m pleased the Trump Administration listened to my concerns and agreed to maintaining continuity in the leadership of the NNSA during the transition,” Heinrich said in a statement. “The administration came dangerously close to allowing the management of our nation’s nuclear stockpile to go on auto-pilot.”
Trump on Monday ordered a hiring freeze of federal civilian employees, with the exception of military personnel, for positions vacant as of noon on January 22. The potential impact on the NNSA’s federal workforce remains unclear; an NNSA spokesperson did not offer details by press time.
