Senators Hassan, Shaheen, and Congressman Pappas Hold Press Conference to Discuss Impact of Trump Job Cuts on Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Local Economy

Portsmouth, NH - On Friday, February 28, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan and Congressman Chris Pappas held a press conference in Portsmouth to discuss the impact the Trump Administration is having on the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. They were joined by the Seacoast Shipyard Association, the Metal Trades Council, and representatives from Portsmouth Naval Shipyard unions to discuss how the uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration’s executive orders and job cuts has led the Shipyard to pause hiring, and other impacts the administration’s actions may have.

“The shipbuilding workforce at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is critical to maintaining our Navy’s crown jewel—the attack submarines that promote our national security around the globe,” said Senator Shaheen, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. “We know the Shipyard is already short-staffed so the last thing the Trump Administration should be doing is interfering with their recruitment efforts—these actions don’t make our region stronger nor our nation safer.” 

“Granite Staters are alarmed and outraged at the Trump Administration’s move to weaken the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard by curtailing the Shipyard’s workforce,” said Senator Hassan. “The Portsmouth Naval shipyard is both a pillar of our national security, helping the United States remain on the cutting edge, and an engine for our economy, providing jobs for Granite Staters who want to do their part to keep our Navy strong.”

“The men and women of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard do critically important work every day to ensure our nation’s readiness, strengthen New Hampshire’s local economy, and support our military for any battle that lies ahead. These skilled workers are essential for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard to meet its critical mission and their job security should not be in question. But the actions we have seen in recent weeks across the federal government and in the Department of Defense, including hiring freezes, layoffs, and the cancelling of contracts, are dangerous and undermine our national security,” said Congressman Pappas. “The Department of Defense must fully exempt the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard from these cuts and layoffs, and I will continue fighting to ensure they provide the clarity the Shipyard needs to meet its mission and ensure our country is strong and prepared for the future.”

“The incredible women and men who make the vital work of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard possible are essential to keeping our state and country safe. Since I took the oath of office exactly two months ago today, I have met with shipyard employees and heard firsthand about the scope of their mission-critical work and the devastating impact that lawless actions of the Trump Administration have had on their lives,” said Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander, a member of the House Armed Services Committee who previously served for more than a decade as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. “I will never stop fighting for the support and resources that our civilian and military workforce needs and deserves.”

The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard provides maintenance for multiple types of ships, including the older Los Angeles-class submarines and newer Virginia-class submarines. It is one of just four public shipyards nationwide that maintain the US Navy’s submarine fleet. The Shipyard is also the region's largest employer. In 2023, the latest available data, more than 7,400 civilian employees worked at the base with an economic impact exceeding $1.5 billion, according to the Seacoast Shipyard Association's 2024 report.

On Monday, February 24th, the Shipyard implemented a pause on hiring and recruiting in response to the Trump administration’s recent executive orders, job cuts, and the announcement of a Department of Defense (DOD) plan to reduce its workforce by laying off approximately 5,400 employees this week. The pause comes as the Shipyard has been working to hire large numbers of workers to increase capacity amid a $1.87 billion dry dock expansion.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the department’s work on Virginia-class submarines was among many priorities deemed “too important” to be included in the overall downsizing, but a spokesperson for him declined to say whether any jobs at the Shipyard would be exempt from ongoing terminations of probationary workers. 

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