Social Security headed for 'collapse' as Trump admin 'hell-bent on breaking it': Expert
3 weeks, 2 days ago

Social Security headed for 'collapse' as Trump admin 'hell-bent on breaking it': Expert

Raw Story  

The Trump administration is on course to undermine Social Security, one of the most vital public programs the federal government administers, warned former Social Security Administration director Martin O'Malley to The Bulwark's Joe Perticone. President Donald Trump repeatedly promised he would not touch Social Security benefits on the campaign trail. However, Republicans in Congress have floated changes to the program, and Trump, alongside tech billionaire and Department of Government Efficiency task force chief Elon Musk, appear dead set on going after the workforce of the SSA, even if they're not outright cutting benefits. We need to revitalize SSA operations by streamlining activities, outsource non-essential functions to industry experts, and reinstating human judgment and common sense into every decision at every level."

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History of this topic

Social Security transparency initiatives: Trump's new plan in 5 points
3 days, 6 hours ago

Social Security transparency initiatives: Trump's new plan in 5 points

Hindustan Times  

The Social Security Administration on Monday announced several ‘transparency initiatives’ under President Donald Trump - including a detailed explanation of its newly introduced identity verification change. Social Security transparency initiatives introduced under Donald Trump In a press release, SSA stated that President Trump ‘has been clear that good government must serve the People’. “With this guiding principle in mind, Social …

‘Child who didn't get his way’: ​Social Security head slammed for threat to 'shut it down'
Trending News
6 days, 12 hours ago

‘Child who didn't get his way’: ​Social Security head slammed for threat to 'shut it down'

Raw Story  

A ruling this week that temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing personally identifiable information from the Social Security Administration has led to the agency’s acting chief threatening to shut it down, the Washington Post reported Friday. The sticking point for Dudek in U.S. District Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander’s ruling on Thursday was her reference to “DOGE …

'Even Trump knows it's big trouble': Commerce Secretary's statement lights up social media
Trending News
6 days, 14 hours ago

'Even Trump knows it's big trouble': Commerce Secretary's statement lights up social media

Raw Story  

Social media lit up Friday after President Donald Trump's commerce secretary Howard Lutnick made what some saw as insensitive comments about the hot-button topic of Social Security. Everyone from average Americans to members of Congress have expressed fears that Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency is focusing in on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid as it continues to slash "waste, …

Social Security Chief's 'Turn It Off' Comment Is Latest Insane Turn For Beleaguered Agency
6 days, 14 hours ago

Social Security Chief's 'Turn It Off' Comment Is Latest Insane Turn For Beleaguered Agency

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING WASHINGTON — The temporary director of the Social Security Administration suggested agency operations would be so impaired by a court banishing Elon Musk’s DOGE team from sensitive databases that he would just turn out the lights. Asked for clarification of Dudek’s “turn it off” remarks earlier on Friday, the Social Security Administration told HuffPost simply that it …

'Despicable': Trump official threatens total Social Security shutdown over DOGE ruling
Trending News
6 days, 17 hours ago

'Despicable': Trump official threatens total Social Security shutdown over DOGE ruling

Raw Story  

Defenders of the Social Security Administration on Friday blasted acting Commissioner Leland Dudeks' threat to shut down the agency in response to a federal judge cutting off the Department of Government Efficiency's access to SSA data. Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees —which filed the suit with the Alliance for Retired Americans and …

'Havoc and destruction': Social Security quietly kills work program — and threatens chaos
1 week ago

'Havoc and destruction': Social Security quietly kills work program — and threatens chaos

Raw Story  

According to investigative reporter Judd Legum, many individuals must now find their way to a Social Security field office — and the new policy hasn't yet been broadcast to the public. Writing Thursday, Legum reported that Social Security quietly enacted a policy targeting immigrants who are granted work authorization issued by the Social Security administration. "Each year, the SSA automatically …

Chellie Pingree Calls On Leland Dudek To Resign From Social Security
Trending News
1 week, 1 day ago

Chellie Pingree Calls On Leland Dudek To Resign From Social Security

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING The temporary leader of the Social Security Administration should resign for “outrageous” political retaliation against the state of Maine, Rep. Chellie Pingree said Wednesday. “The SSA is simply too important, and affects the lives of too many people, for it to be led by someone who is willing to throw an entire state into turmoil, all because …

Trump Social Security Head Says He's 'Made Some Mistakes'
1 week, 2 days ago

Trump Social Security Head Says He's 'Made Some Mistakes'

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING WASHINGTON — The temporary leader of the Social Security Administration acknowledged Tuesday in an email to staff that he’s made mistakes in his rapid shakeup of the agency but said he wouldn’t be deterred. “I promise you this, I will continue to make mistakes, but I will learn from them.” The message landed amid mounting questions about …

‘It’s a big deal’: DOGE reportedly eyes changes that would ‘break' Social Security
1 week, 3 days ago

‘It’s a big deal’: DOGE reportedly eyes changes that would ‘break' Social Security

Raw Story  

An internal memo detailing the Social Security Administration’s proposal to revamp its phone service has come to light and could spell trouble for many retired and disabled Americans caught up in the benefits application process. That’s according to Axios, which reported Monday that while the Trump administration has repeatedly claimed it only plans to address fraud and waste within the …

'Drunk operating a wrecking ball': Insiders warn cuts already dismantling Social Security
1 week, 3 days ago

'Drunk operating a wrecking ball': Insiders warn cuts already dismantling Social Security

Raw Story  

Current and former insiders at the Social Security Administration have told the New York Times that X owner Elon Musk is risking the entire system that pays out benefits that retired and disabled Americans rely on. Michael Astrue, a former SSA commissioner appointed under President George W. Bush, told the Times that Musk appears to be using the same playbook …

'Are we going to break something?' Report names members of largest DOGE unit
1 week, 6 days ago

'Are we going to break something?' Report names members of largest DOGE unit

Raw Story  

Despite his pledge of "maximum transparency," Elon Musk has gone to great lengths to obscure the names and activities of staffers working for his Department of Government Efficiency—even claiming at one point that it is illegal to publicly identify members of the advisory commission. Bloomberg reported Thursday that "at least seven DOGE staffers have been granted access to a database …

Elon Musk Calls Federal Spending On Social Security, Benefit Programs 'The Big One' To Cut
Top News
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Elon Musk Calls Federal Spending On Social Security, Benefit Programs 'The Big One' To Cut

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING WASHINGTON — Elon Musk pushed debunked theories about Social Security on Monday while describing federal benefit programs as rife with fraud, suggesting they will be a primary target in his crusade to reduce government spending. “That’s the big one to eliminate.” The comments on the popular program and other benefits provided to Americans could rattle politicians on …

Musk eyes Social Security and benefit programs for cuts while claiming widespread fraud
Top News
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Musk eyes Social Security and benefit programs for cuts while claiming widespread fraud

Associated Press  

▶ Follow live updates on President Donald Trump and his new administration WASHINGTON — Elon Musk pushed debunked theories about Social Security on Monday while describing federal benefit programs as rife with fraud, suggesting they will be a primary target in his crusade to reduce government spending. Musk also said there were “20 million people who are definitely dead marked …

'Total system collapse': Ex-Social Security chief warns Trump is trying to 'crater' agency
2 weeks, 3 days ago

'Total system collapse': Ex-Social Security chief warns Trump is trying to 'crater' agency

Raw Story  

Former Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O'Malley warned that while President Donald Trump has said he "won't touch" the country's retirement benefits, he is actually destroying them. MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace on Monday read a recent report from a former SSA official who revealed that millions of taxpayers' data was exposed thanks to the aides at Elon Musk's Department of Government …

They've just signed Social Security's death warrant — are you ready?
2 weeks, 3 days ago

They've just signed Social Security's death warrant — are you ready?

Raw Story  

Tuesday night, Donald Trump stood before the nation and, with the full backing of billionaires like Elon Musk, laid the groundwork for the biggest heist in American history — the rapid, systematic destruction of Social Security, disguised as “reform.” We saw the formal announcement of it during Trump’s State of the Union address, and the DOGE announcement earlier in the …

A Single Day Of Trump And Musk's Cost-Cutting Campaign Remakes Huge Sections Of Government
2 weeks, 5 days ago

A Single Day Of Trump And Musk's Cost-Cutting Campaign Remakes Huge Sections Of Government

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING WASHINGTON — A series of decisions revealed Friday provided a glimpse of the turmoil engulfing federal agencies since President Donald Trump and Elon Musk launched their campaign of disruption, upending how government functions in ways big and small. Their approach has energized people like David Sacks, a venture capitalist serving as a Trump adviser on cryptocurrency and …

What to know about Social Security office closures driven by Musk’s DOGE
2 weeks, 6 days ago

What to know about Social Security office closures driven by Musk’s DOGE

Associated Press  

Across-the-board cuts at the Social Security Administration are prompting questions about how the benefits of millions of recipients may be affected. Here’s a look at cuts to the agency, which serves more than 70 million Americans, and potential effects for recipients: Will the Social Security office near my home close? Some of the other properties had already been set for …

'So naive, so stupid': Former lawmaker raises alarm over Musk's Social Security plans
3 weeks, 1 day ago

'So naive, so stupid': Former lawmaker raises alarm over Musk's Social Security plans

Raw Story  

Plans by the Donald Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency, helmed by billionaire Elon Musk, to dismantle the Social Security Administration, were trashed by a former Democratic senator on Wednesday morning. During an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," ex-Sen. Claire McCaskill said the staffers working DOGE, with an assist from the Office of Personnel Management, hope to slash …

Elon Musk Calls Social Security 'The Biggest Ponzi Scheme Of All Time'
3 weeks, 5 days ago

Elon Musk Calls Social Security 'The Biggest Ponzi Scheme Of All Time'

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Elon Musk is calling Social Security a “Ponzi scheme,” prompting suspicion that the world’s richest man is merely hoping to privatize a social safety net that has existed since the 1930s — and has kept millions of elderly, poor and disabled Americans from destitution. The billionaire argued Friday on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast that the United …

'Chaos and fear' as Trump and Musk make major moves on Social Security: report
3 weeks, 6 days ago

'Chaos and fear' as Trump and Musk make major moves on Social Security: report

Raw Story  

A new report from Rolling Stone claims that Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency is taking a wrecking ball to the Social Security Administration, which could seriously hurt beneficiaries' ability to collect the money they are owed. According to the report, DOGE has already "shuttered at least 10 Social Security field offices in as many states" and "has eliminated the …

Social Security Administration Announces 'Significant Workforce Reductions' Ahead
1 month ago

Social Security Administration Announces 'Significant Workforce Reductions' Ahead

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING WASHINGTON ― The Social Security Administration is planning a massive reorganization that will involve “significant workforce reductions,” it told employees Thursday. The Social Security Administration runs one of the federal government’s most popular programs ― retirement benefits for 50 million older Americans ― on a shoestring budget, with administrative costs totaling just half a percent of agency …

The Social Security Administration says it plans to cut some 7,000 jobs
1 month ago

The Social Security Administration says it plans to cut some 7,000 jobs

NPR  

The Social Security Administration says it plans to cut some 7,000 jobs toggle caption Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images The Social Security Administration announced Friday that it aims to cut some 7,000 jobs to align with an executive order from President Trump to broadly slash the federal workforce. Sponsor Message Trump has said that Social Security "won't be touched" as he continues …

'Nightmare for all of us': Anxiety mounts as DOGE troops circle Social Security
1 month ago

'Nightmare for all of us': Anxiety mounts as DOGE troops circle Social Security

Raw Story  

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. “It’s where people access government,” said Kathleen Romig, a longtime expert on the program at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities who recently served at the Social Security Administration in a temporary capacity. I bullied agency executives, shared executive contact information, and circumvented the chain of command to connect DOGE with the …

Leland Dudek: How a mid-level staffer rose to oversee the Social Security Administration within days
Trending News
1 month ago

Leland Dudek: How a mid-level staffer rose to oversee the Social Security Administration within days

CNN  

CNN — Last week, Leland Dudek, a mid-level career employee at the Social Security Administration, posted on LinkedIn that he was placed on administrative leave for cooperating with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and asked for help finding another job. That’s the right thing to do.” “Amazingly, Leland was fired by Social Security Administration upper management for helping @DOGE …

Leland Dudek: How a mid-level staffer rose to oversee the Social Security Administration within days
Trending News
1 month ago

Leland Dudek: How a mid-level staffer rose to oversee the Social Security Administration within days

CNN  

CNN — Last week, Leland Dudek, a mid-level career employee at the Social Security Administration, posted on LinkedIn that he was placed on administrative leave for cooperating with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and asked for help finding another job. That’s the right thing to do.” “Amazingly, Leland was fired by Social Security Administration upper management for helping @DOGE …

New US Social Security chief contradicts claims that millions of dead people getting payouts
1 month, 1 week ago

New US Social Security chief contradicts claims that millions of dead people getting payouts

Live Mint  

Washington, The new head of the Social Security Administration said on Wednesday that deceased centenarians are "not necessarily receiving benefits", contradicting claims that tens of millions of dead people over the age of 100 are getting payments from the agency. On Tuesday, Trump said at a press briefing in Florida that "we have millions and millions of people over 100 …

Elon Musk’s Risky Attack On Social Security
1 month, 1 week ago

Elon Musk’s Risky Attack On Social Security

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING WASHINGTON — Social Security is the electrified third rail of American politics, and now Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, and his band of 20-something acolytes are reaching for it. The Social Security Administration’s acting director resigned Sunday in the face of apparent demands for access to sensitive SSA information from Musk’s minions, according to the Washington …

US Social Security chief Michelle King quits amid 'conflicts' with Doge, White House appoints Dudek as successor
1 month, 1 week ago

US Social Security chief Michelle King quits amid 'conflicts' with Doge, White House appoints Dudek as successor

Firstpost  

A month after she was named acting commissioner for Social Security following over three decades with the agency, Michelle King on Tuesday stepped down from her role reportedly after conflicts with Doge, according to a report A month after she was named acting commissioner for Social Security following over three decades with the agency, Michelle King on Tuesday stepped down …

Social Security acting commissioner exits agency after clash with Elon Musk
1 month, 1 week ago

Social Security acting commissioner exits agency after clash with Elon Musk

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Acting head of the Social Security Administration has been replaced …

Trump and Musk set their sights on Social Security by spreading rumors
1 month, 1 week ago

Trump and Musk set their sights on Social Security by spreading rumors

CNN  

A version of this story appeared in CNN’s What Matters newsletter. On X, Musk said he was “100% certain that the magnitude of the fraud in federal entitlements exceeds the combined sum of every private scam you’ve ever heard by FAR.” Musk also posted a photo of a chart – it’s not clear where it comes from – that appears …

Trump promised he won't cut Social Security. Should you trust him?
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Trump promised he won't cut Social Security. Should you trust him?

LA Times  

Hello and happy Tuesday. “We know that the Social Security trust fund is going to run out of money, and that means something has to happen,” said Alan Auerbach, a professor of economics and law at UC Berkeley. Digging a deeper hole Despite that chilling reality, Trump’s only detailed plan on Social Security so far is one that would put …

'Nothing is sacrosanct': GOP floats Social Security cuts after Musk Capitol Hill visit
3 months, 3 weeks ago

'Nothing is sacrosanct': GOP floats Social Security cuts after Musk Capitol Hill visit

Raw Story  

Republican lawmakers on Thursday signaled a willingness to target Social Security and other mandatory programs after meeting with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the billionaire pair President-elect Donald Trump chose to lead a new commission tasked with slashing federal spending and regulations. After airing Norman's remarks, Fox Business reported that Musk and Ramaswamy told lawmakers that no federal program is …

Watchdogs say world's richest man Elon Musk has 'declared war on Social Security'
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Watchdogs say world's richest man Elon Musk has 'declared war on Social Security'

Raw Story  

A lengthy series of X posts attacking Social Security as a "nightmare" caught the attention of the platform's mega-billionaire owner, Elon Musk, who could soon take aim at the beloved New Deal program as co-chair of an advisory commission tasked with identifying federal spending to slash. Max Richtman, president and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and …

Column: GOP and Musk unveil a threat to Social Security
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Column: GOP and Musk unveil a threat to Social Security

LA Times  

You may have been tempted to believe Donald Trump when he swore, along with some of his Republican colleagues, to protect Social Security. They take ‘your money’” and use it for whatever the current Congress deems ‘necessary.’” And a fourth is to complain that the trust fund is mismanaged: “If you had put the same amount into literally ANYTHING else …

Column: Trump pledges not to cut Social Security. Here are the ways he could breach that promise
4 months ago

Column: Trump pledges not to cut Social Security. Here are the ways he could breach that promise

LA Times  

Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley explained to a congressional committee that the program’s caseload has expanded rapidly while staffing has hit a 50-year low. “There’s a very serious worry on the horizon,” Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley told Al Sharpton on MSNBC last weekend, “because Donald Trump’s policies would seriously reduce the fiscal health of Social Security. Let’s take a …

Experts: Analysis shows Trump proposal would "dramatically worsen Social Security’s finances"
5 months, 1 week ago

Experts: Analysis shows Trump proposal would "dramatically worsen Social Security’s finances"

Salon  

Social Security funds could run out in the next six years if former President Donald Trump wins in November, according to a new report from the bipartisan group Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Trump’s policies would add over $2.3 trillion to Social Security’s deficit between 2026 and 2033 and — and cause a 33% cut to benefits in 2035, …

Social Security Commissioner Martin O'Malley agrees SSI program is outdated
9 months ago

Social Security Commissioner Martin O'Malley agrees SSI program is outdated

NPR  

Social Security Commissioner Martin O'Malley agrees SSI program is outdated A government program made to lift the poorest disabled and elderly people out of poverty is so out-of-date and complex that people often get kicked off. JOSEPH SHAPIRO, BYLINE: Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, sends a cash payment every month, on average $700 to disabled and elderly people with little …

Column: Trump to Social Security: Drop dead
4 years, 8 months ago

Column: Trump to Social Security: Drop dead

LA Times  

President Trump can’t seem to get the stupid idea of a payroll tax cut out of his head. — Max Richtman, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare Trump hasn’t been too specific about the cut he demands, but even with a partial reduction in the payroll tax the poorest Americans would receive a few percent of the benefits, …

Column: The coronavirus could cut your Social Security benefits for life, unless Congress acts
4 years, 9 months ago

Column: The coronavirus could cut your Social Security benefits for life, unless Congress acts

LA Times  

Social Security benefits for Americans who turn 60 this year could be reduced for their lifetimes because overall wages are expected to take a steep drop during as a result of this year’s economic slump. Simply put, anyone turning 60 this year could face a lifelong reduction in Social Security benefits because of a quirk in the program’s benefit formula …

Column: Trump opens door to Social Security cuts
5 years, 2 months ago

Column: Trump opens door to Social Security cuts

LA Times  

With his penchant for saying the quiet parts out loud and assuming no one is paying attention, President Trump on Wednesday opened the door to cutting Social Security and Medicare later this year. What’s important is that Trump appears to be falling into lockstep with the more general Republican position that closing the federal deficit requires cutting back on Social …

Taking A Stand On Social Security: Clinton's Bold Proposal vs. Trump's Hidden Agenda
8 years, 6 months ago

Taking A Stand On Social Security: Clinton's Bold Proposal vs. Trump's Hidden Agenda

Huff Post  

AARP has asked all candidates to take a stand on the vital issue of Social Security. For that matter, Donald Trump and the Republican Party have taken a Social Security stand, too, though a disturbing one, which they seem to want to keep hidden from view. In addition to expanding Social Security's cash benefits, Clinton and her fellow Democrats are …

Column: Has President Obama appointed a fox to guard the Social Security henhouse?
8 years, 10 months ago

Column: Has President Obama appointed a fox to guard the Social Security henhouse?

LA Times  

Charles P. Blahous III has been a prominent figure in policy debates about Social Security for about 15 years. “By definition, securing a second term makes you an insider.” ---------- FURTHER READING: On Social Security’s 80th birthday, a dangerous leadership vacuum Is this Social Security trustee trying to undermine Social Security? “We should be working to expand and strengthen Social …

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