Cable TV News Network (CNN) quoted informed sources as saying that due to the continued shutdowns of the U.S. government, most of the employees of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) under the U.S. Department of Energy were forced to take unpaid leave, which could lead to years of delay in the delivery of nuclear weapons.

Three sources said the agency had applied to the White House Office of Management and Budget for funding to maintain operations during the shutdown, but was not approved. About 1400 employees have taken unpaid leave since last week. This is the first time since the bureau was established in 2000 that employees of the agency have been required to take unpaid leave due to the government shutdown.

Sources told CNN that even a temporary suspension of production activities could delay the delivery of nuclear weapons by months or even years.

Insiders of the National Nuclear Safety Administration said that the obstacles caused by the U.S. government to the agency's operations are in direct conflict with its own national security goals. A source said that during the second term of the Trump administration, there was "indeed a sense of urgency" in nuclear weapons production, but now these weapons targets set by Trump have become "more difficult to achieve".