Resignation of SSA Acting Head

The acting head of the US Social Security Administration (SSA) resigned over the weekend following a contentious dispute with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

According to the Washington Post, the resignation of Michelle King, who had served as a career federal worker since 1994, took place last Saturday.

> BREAKING: The acting head of the US Social Security Administration has resigned after a dispute with DOGE, per NY Post. https://t.co/VBxYLxEz34 pic.twitter.com/J3xQl89Hqo
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> — The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) February 18, 2025

King was replaced by Leland Dudek, who will serve as the acting commissioner until President Trump’s nominee to head the office, Frank Bisignano, is confirmed by the Senate.

Disagreement over Sensitive Data Access

Tensions between King and DOGE reportedly grew from the latter’s efforts to gain access to sensitive government records. While the exact nature of the records was not disclosed, it is known that DOGE accessed data regarding the ages of American citizens from the SSA database.

Since President Trump first entered the White House on January 20, Musk’s associates have pursued access to closely guarded data across various government agencies. This includes seeking records from the Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and Labor Department, which have led to multiple resignations.

Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, suggested that King disagreed with DOGE’s request for access to SSA’s sensitive files.
“What I know is that DOGE wanted access to SSA’s sensitive files, the same way they’re trying to do at Labor and Treasury, and the acting commissioner wouldn’t give it, and she was replaced,” Altman explained.

Musk’s Scrutiny of ‘Social Security Fraud’

Elon Musk’s involvement in King stepping down is linked to his scrutiny of potential fraud within the Social Security program. On social media, Musk has claimed to uncover instances of 150-year-olds listed as beneficiaries and raised concerns over federal workers who acquired their wealth “suspiciously.”

Musk shared a chart showing 20 million people in the SSA database listed as over 100 years old, joking about the implications.

White House Response

On Monday evening, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to claims made by reporters, accusing them of spreading misinformation about Social Security payments. She clarified that President Trump instructed Musk to focus solely on identifying fraud within the program, assuring that seniors’ retirement benefits “will not be touched.”

Clarification on Musk’s Role

Despite his advisory role, the White House claimed Musk is not an employee of DOGE. A filing by White House official Joshua Fisher clarified that Musk has no formal decision-making authority within the government.

A coalition of 14 states has filed a lawsuit against Musk and President Trump, challenging the authority granted to DOGE to access government data. However, Musk continues to have significant support from his followers on social media, who back the idea of reforming government spending.

“We have a once in a lifetime chance to clean up the government and fix our spending issues. Perhaps we will even get to a balanced budget and curb spending across a variety of services,” noted one supporter on social media.