Nuclear security

Nuclear Stockpile About to Go Leaderless, Senator Warns Trump

US Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., is warning the new administration that unless it acts, an agency managing the nation’s nuclear stockpile will go leaderless after Friday’s inauguration. 

Heinrich, a member of the Senate Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, sent President-elect Donald Trump a letter Tuesday urging him to keep senior officials in sensitive national security posts — including National Nuclear Security Administration leaders — until their replacements are in place.

Heinrich noted only six of 58 presidentially appointed Pentagon officials are known to have been asked to stay in their positions through the transition process. Also, the NNSA leads, retired Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz and Madelyn Creedon, have not been asked to stay on, he said.