The Trump administration’s drastic cuts to the Social Security Administration (SSA) are causing alarm among advocacy groups and progressive lawmakers who argue that these changes pave the way for privatization. SSA’s acting administrator, Leland Dudek, confirmed that the changes—including office closures, staff reductions, and the removal of phone verification services—were ordered directly by the White House. As millions of Social Security beneficiaries face delays and increased barriers to accessing their earned benefits, concerns continue to grow over the administration’s ultimate intentions for the program.
At the center of the controversy is Frank Bisignano, President Donald Trump’s nominee to head SSA. A financial technology executive and Republican donor, Bisignano faced intense scrutiny from Democrats during his confirmation hearing this week, with critics warning that his leadership will accelerate efforts to dismantle the agency.
SSA’s sweeping service reductions, mandated by the White House, have already begun to disrupt the lives of its 73 million beneficiaries. The administration has rolled out significant changes with little preparation for agency employees or the public, causing frustration and confusion.
One of the most immediate and pressing changes is the removal of phone-based identity verification, set to take effect on March 31. This means beneficiaries must verify their identities online or in person at a field office. Nancy LeaMond of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) warned that this policy shift will place a disproportionate burden on seniors, especially those in rural areas.
“With Americans already waiting hours to get connected with Social Security on the phone, it is outrageous that under this new policy, older Americans, especially those in rural areas, will have to call, wait on hold for possibly hours, make an appointment, or even take a day off work to claim the benefits they have worked for and earned,” LeaMond said.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Trump placed under the leadership of billionaire tech CEO Elon Musk, has compiled a list of 47 SSA field offices set to close this year. DOGE has also pushed for a 12 percent reduction in SSA’s workforce, straining the remaining employees and limiting the agency’s ability to handle an influx of in-person visits. The Washington Post reported that SSA’s website has crashed four times in 10 days due to increased traffic, further complicating access for beneficiaries.
“He said, ‘The reason that we’re on this timeline is because we received a request from the White House,’” an attendee at a meeting with Dudek told HuffPost Monday, with two other sources confirming the account.
SSA employees have reported that no training has been provided to help staff transition to these new policies, and with the changes rolling out within days, many fear the system will collapse under pressure.
Democratic lawmakers and Social Security advocates argue that these cuts are a calculated step toward privatization. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) voiced concerns at Bisignano’s confirmation hearing, stating, “This approach is a prelude to privatizing Social Security and handing it over to private equity.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) echoed those concerns, explaining how the elimination of services effectively reduces Social Security benefits, even if official disbursements remain unchanged.
“If a 65-year-old retiree can’t use the SSA’s phone service to verify his identity and apply for benefits and has to wait for a family member to get a day off work to drive him two hours to the only understaffed SSA office in the area that hasn’t been closed, let’s assume it takes our fellow three months to straighten this out and he misses a total of $5,000 in benefits checks, which, by law, he will never get back,” Warren said. “Is that a benefit cut?”
Bisignano did not answer the question, stating that he wasn’t sure “what to call” the scenario described.
Social Security Works, an advocacy organization, issued a statement condemning the administration’s approach:
“OVER 99 percent of all Social Security payments are made accurately and on time,” the group said. “Congress needs to focus on protecting and expanding benefits, not billionaire profits.”
Trump and Musk have repeatedly cited alleged fraud within Social Security as justification for these changes. However, Bisignano admitted during his confirmation hearing that their claims lacked evidence.
Even before Trump and Musk began pushing the narrative that “millions of deceased Americans” were receiving benefits, Republicans had claimed that Social Security was on the brink of insolvency. Social Security Works countered this claim, noting that the program can pay 100 percent of benefits for the next 12 years and 76 percent beyond that.
Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) recently suggested that Social Security should be restructured to cut off access for future generations. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) explicitly supported a corporate approach to the program, telling Bisignano to “go after [Social Security] the way you would in the private sector.”
With SSA’s services being slashed, millions of beneficiaries are now at risk of losing access to their earned benefits due to bureaucratic hurdles.
• Longer wait times and office closures: As phone services are cut and offices shut down, beneficiaries must travel long distances or wait hours in line for assistance.
• Increased risk of missed payments: Beneficiaries unable to verify their identities promptly may miss months of payments they can never recover.
• Concerns over security risks: DOGE political appointees have been given access to sensitive SSA data without proper oversight.
Tiffany Flick, the former acting chief of staff to Commissioner Dudek, warned before her resignation that DOGE’s actions were putting Social Security in jeopardy. In a court filing, she stated:
“DOGE’s disregard for critical processes… and lack of interest in understanding [SSA’s] systems and programs… combined with the significant loss of expertise as more and more agency personnel leave, have me seriously concerned that SSA programs will continue to function and operate without disruption.”
Bisignano’s confirmation hearing further revealed the administration’s intentions. When asked by Wyden what grade he would give DOGE’s handling of SSA, Bisignano refused to answer. Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) later remarked, “With Bisignano signaling he is all in on DOGE… I see no reason to trust that he is going to do anything but be an enthusiastic participant in what Elon Musk and Donald Trump are trying to do to Social Security.”
Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, called on senators to reject Bisignano’s nomination.
“He cut staffing to the bone and reportedly created toxic work environments,” Altman said. “If he is confirmed, the now toxic work environment at SSA will likely get worse.”
Max Richtman, president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, also condemned Bisignano’s failure to commit to ending DOGE’s interference.
“Significantly and alarmingly, Bisignano would not commit to ending Musk and DOGE’s interference at SSA, nor to reversing any of their dangerous policies,” Richtman said. “He cannot live up to his promises to put the interests of beneficiaries first if the man who recently called Social Security a Ponzi scheme continues to call the shots.”
COMMENTS