The Social Security Administration’s acting commissioner reportedly resigned over the weekend after a dispute with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) over the Elon Musk-led group’s efforts to access sensitive government records.
Michelle King, a career federal worker who had been with SSA since 1994, quit over the DOGE disagreement Saturday and was replaced by Leland Dudek, the Washington Post reported Monday.
Dudek, who has been supportive of DOGE’s efforts to root out waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government, will serve as acting commissioner of SSA until President Trump’s pick to lead the agency, Frank Bisignano, is confirmed by the Senate, according to the outlet.
DOGE staffers embedded at SSA reportedly sought access to sensitive files in the same manner they have at other federal agencies, such as the Treasury Department, since Trump established the cost-cutting initiative.
SSA, which manages Social Security payments for more than 70 million Americans, holds troves of personal data.
The agency has a list of every Social Security number that has ever been issued as well as work and pay history and banking information for millions of Americans.
SSA also keeps the medical records of Americans who have applied for disability benefits.
It’s unclear what specific information sought by DOGE led to King’s resignation. --->READ MORE HERE
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Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has set its sights on Social Security. Here is why you shouldn't panic.
Social Security, the government program put on the books in 1935, is in focus at Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which over the weekend reportedly requested access to information about Social Security recipients. That request prompted the resignation of acting Commissioner Michelle King, who had worked for the agency for more than 30 years.
It also comes on the heels of billionaire Elon Musk’s claims that DOGE has uncovered “massive government fraud” at the agency, alleging 150 year olds were fraudulently receiving Social Security benefits. Musk and his team at DOGE have yet to provide evidence to back up those claims.
Those actions are prompting concerns among Americans, after all nearly 73 million older adults rely on their monthly Social Security checks, but experts say now isn’t the time to panic, although everyone should be concerned.
“No one should be panicking, but it’s extremely serious,” says Nancy Altman, President of Social Security Works, the non-profit focused on protecting and expanding Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. “They (DOGE) now have access to everything, which means if you applied for disability benefits they have thousands of pages of medical records. They have earnings statements all the way back when. They have access to when you got married and got divorced. The worst case is that they have taken a secure system and made it insecure.”
That access, says Altman, could open the Social Security system up to hackers who would have a treasure trove of information that could be used to defraud Americans, including older adults.
“Older people are disproportionately susceptible to scams,” says Altman. “The data at SSA leaking would make the numbers of scams skyrocket. And, if there is an intent to punish perceived enemies, someone could erase your earnings record, making it impossible to collect the Social Security and Medicare benefits you have earned.” --->READ MORE HERE
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