Social Security Chief Resigns Amid Controversy Over Data Access Request

Washington, D.C. — Michelle King, the acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), resigned over the weekend after refusing a request from Elon Musk‘s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for access to sensitive government data.

King’s departure was confirmed by White House spokesperson Harrison Fields, who stated, “President Trump has nominated the highly qualified and talented Frank Bisignano to lead the Social Security Administration, and we expect him to be swiftly confirmed in the coming weeks.” In the interim, Leland Dudek, a career anti-fraud expert at the SSA, has been appointed as acting commissioner.

The controversy surrounding King’s resignation centers on DOGE’s interest in accessing extensive personal data held by the SSA, including Social Security numbers, earnings records, marital statuses, and, in some cases, medical records of Americans who have applied for disability benefits.

Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, a liberal organization advocating for Social Security, commented, “She was replaced as acting commissioner because she would not give access to the sensitive information…It was her choice to retire, not a forced resignation.” Altman emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that the data held by the SSA is entrusted to the government by citizens and that its handling should prioritize privacy.

The request from DOGE has sparked criticism, with Altman suggesting that the attempt to access sensitive information highlights a potential breach of trust between the government and the American public. “The information that the Social Security Administration has is a lot of personal data that most people would like to keep private and they entrusted to the government through tax returns and their employers sending in earning statements,” she said.

In a Fox News interview, press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed President Trump’s directive to Musk and the DOGE team to identify fraud within the SSA. Although the agency’s inspector general reported that only 0.84% of benefit payments were improper between 2015 and 2022, Leavitt noted that a deeper investigation was justified.

Elon Musk has previously sought public attention concerning the SSA, claiming to have identified the “greatest fraud in history,” referencing over 20 million individuals in the Social Security database over the age of 100. Musk’s claim was met with criticism, as experts explained that many of these records belong to individuals who have passed away but whose deaths were not reported.

Additionally, the SSA is the latest agency facing scrutiny from DOGE, which has sparked concerns regarding privacy violations and access to sensitive government systems. The Treasury Department’s payment system previously came under fire for allowing DOGE team members limited access to classified data, with lawsuits alleging potential violations of federal privacy laws.

As the fallout from this incident continues, organizations concerned about government transparency and eminent figures in the political arena remain wary of DOGE’s ambitions and its implications for sensitive data management within federal agencies.