DOGE is Cutting the Social Security Administration to the Bone

As Elon Musk calls Social Security “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time,” his team at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency is crippling the agency, gutting up to 12% of its staff, shuttering local and regional offices, and hindering phone services for beneficiaries. All combined, the agency will be far less efficient, causing fears of late and missed checks and dangerous effects to those disabled and rural seniors who need aid the most.

Make no mistake: this is a cut to benefits. Even as Donald Trump has repeatedly promised that “we’re not touching Social Security.”

While DOGE is preparing to shutter 47 field offices and 6 of 10 regional offices, the Social Security Administration is preparing to require millions of Americans who file for benefits by phone to verify their identity using an online system or provide documentation in person at a field office. One estimate says 75,000 to 85,000 additional visitors per week could show up at local field offices. Not only will this lead to longer wait and processing times, it will overwhelm local offices dealing with an influx of beneficiaries from nearby areas whose offices have been closed by DOGE.

How is any of that efficient?

Former Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley made it clear: “Ultimately, you’re going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits. I believe you will see that within the next 30 to 90 days.”

So why cause all this pain? It’s certainly not to increase efficiency.

DOGE and the Trump administration want to cut government spending, even in programs they claim to “cherish” so they can pay for tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. So let’s take a look at what these draconian cuts to the Social Security Administration will really mean:

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT THE REAL IMPACTS OF DOGE CUTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY:

WSJ-Dealing With Social Security Is Heading From Bad to Worse. “The federal agency that administers Social Security benefits is facing a customer-service mess. The Social Security Administration is cutting staff, restricting what recipients can do over the phone and closing some local field offices that help people in person. The number of retirees claiming benefits has risen in recent years as baby boomers age.”... “Agency officials have acknowledged that because of a planned reduction in services over the phone, there will be longer wait and processing times.” [WSJ, 3/24/25]

AP-New Social Security Requirements Pose Barriers To Rural Communities Without Internet, Transportation. “Veronica Taylor doesn’t know how to turn on a computer, let alone use the internet. The 73-year-old can’t drive and is mostly housebound in her mountainous and remote West Virginia community, where a simple trip to the grocery store can take an hour by car. New requirements that Social Security recipients access key benefits online or in person at a field office, rather than on the phone, would be nearly impossible to meet without help.” [AP, 3/22/25]

Washington Post-Social Security To Require Millions To Make Claims In Person Rather Than By Phone. “The Social Security Administration on Tuesday announced new measures that will require millions of Americans who file for benefits by phone to verify their identity using an online system or provide documentation in person at a field office. The change is expected to disrupt agency operations just as the Trump administration, driven by billionaire Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service, is racing to downsize Social Security — cutting 7,000 jobs, consolidating programs, and closing dozens of regional and local offices. Because millions of elderly and disabled customers the agency serves lack computers to authenticate their identity — and have limited mobility to access in-person help — the change will create hardships, a top agency official acknowledged last week in an internal memorandum.” [Washington Post, 3/18/25]

Washington Post-Long waits, waves of calls, web crashes: Social Security is breaking down. “The recording that Kathy Martinez, 66, heard when she called the toll-free number two weeks ago from her home in the Bay Area said her hold time would be more than three hours — she was calling to ask what her retirement check would come to if she filed for benefits now or waited until she turns 70. She hung up and tried again last week at 7 a.m. Pacific time. The wait was more than 120 minutes, but she was offered a callback option, and in two hours she spoke with a ‘phenomenally kind person who called me,’ she said. Martinez said she wants to wait to file for benefits to maximize the size of her check. But “I’m kind of thinking, I wonder if I should take it now. When I apply, I will do it over the phone. But will there still be a phone system?” [Washington Post, 3/25/25]

New York Times-Social Security Employees Warn of Damage From DOGE. “Many current and former Social Security officials fear the cuts could create gaping holes in the agency’s infrastructure, destabilizing the program, which keeps millions of people out of poverty and large percentages of retirees rely on for the bulk of their income. The actions have caused Social Security employees and former commissioners and executives of both parties to sound alarm bells, saying it would be difficult to repair the damage, which could threaten access to benefits.” [NY Times, 3/17/25]

WGME-Social Security Employees Warn Staffing Cuts Could Lead To Delays In Benefit Payments. “Many Americans who rely on Social Security as their primary source of income are facing concerns over potential delays in benefit payments due to recent staff reductions. Social Security employees have expressed worries that the decrease in staff could lead to delays in distributing checks to recipients. The potential delays could significantly impact those who depend on timely payments to meet their daily needs.” [WGME, 3/19/25]

Reno Gazette Journal- Social Security Cuts Phone Services — In-Person Appointments Are Required Yet Hard To Make. “Many Nevadans will feel new Social Security changes starting this month more than residents in other states. Starting March 31, any transactions that require proving identity will be handled only online or in-person, the federal agency announced this week. Nevada has only three Social Security offices, with long drives required for rural residents. An added challenge: Required appointments can be tough to make by phone because of staffing issues.” [Reno Gazette Journal, 3/21/25]

Anonymous Social Security Administration Employee: “‘Put bluntly, the ramifications of downsizing SSA are enormous,’ an agency employee told Business Insider. ‘Because it'll take two to three times longer to work these cases, some people will die before a decision is reached.’” [Business Insider, 3/1/25]

Anonymous Social Security Administration Employee: “‘Drastically cutting everybody and everything has the very real potential of erasing people's record of lifetime contributions and therefore their eligibility for benefits,’ an SSA employee said. ‘If they recklessly 'pulled the plug,' it would mean disaster to everyone currently collecting and future retirees and disabled claimants.’” [Business Insider, 3/1/25]

Anonymous Social Security Administration Employee: "Service to the public will undoubtedly suffer. We barely have enough staff now to meet the public's needs." [Business Insider, 3/1/25]

Anonymous Social Security Administration Employee: "Overpayments to beneficiaries will drastically increase because there won't be enough workers to get to those cases in a timely manner." [Business Insider, 3/1/25]

Anonymous Social Security Administration Employee: “‘People who can't work and are waiting on a disability decision will experience immense financial hardship,’ adding that cases subject to re-evaluation ‘will not be worked quickly enough to prevent overpayments and there's never a guarantee the overpayment will actually be paid.’” [Business Insider, 3/1/25]

Anonymous Social Security Administration Employee: “‘Once service gets bad’ at SSA following any cuts, ‘the case will be made to privatize us.’” [Business Insider, 3/1/25]

Anonymous Social Security Administration Employee: "We need the people higher up to support us and build systems that work, we need HR. We need those 'invisible' people to make sure checks get paid on time, all the systems are up and running. I don't know why we are villains. We just want to help disabled Americans and retirees get what they paid for." [Business Insider, 3/1/25]

Holly Lawrence, a Social Security beneficiary: “I’m financially strapped and cannot afford to get a financial adviser. It was important to me to be able to talk to someone at Social Security,” she said, adding that she is concerned the customer-service delays she encountered could negatively affect others “who don’t have the strength to be persistent.” [WSJ, 3/24/25]

Sue Gentry, a Social Security beneficiary: “Everybody worries about what they are doing and whether they’re trying to break the system.” [WSJ, 3/24/25]

Kathy Davis, a Social Security beneficiary: "I'm very nervous about it, very scared. And it's just not what my retirement years should be. I should be relaxing, enjoying myself, not sitting on pins and needles waiting for the axe to drop.” [WGME, 3/19/25]