Social Security Head Steps Down After Clash with DOGE

THE NEWS

Michelle King, the acting head of the Social Security Administration (SSA), abruptly resigned over the weekend following a dispute with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

According to insiders cited by The Washington Post, the disagreement centered on DOGE’s push to access sensitive SSA records to uncover potential fraud. In response, President Donald Trump appointed Leland Dudek to lead the agency while Frank Bisignano, his intended nominee for SSA commissioner, undergoes vetting.

Meanwhile, Musk continued to claim on social media that millions of people in the SSA database are listed as over 100 years old and still alive, reigniting concerns about record-keeping and fraud within the agency.

TIMELINE

• Over the Weekend: Acting SSA head Michelle King resigns after disagreements with DOGE over sharing sensitive government records.

• Monday:
  The Washington Post reports on King’s sudden departure.
  President Trump taps Leland Dudek to serve as acting commissioner pending Frank Bisignano’s confirmation.
  Elon Musk tweets allegations of “millions of centenarians” in SSA files, calling it potential fraud.

REACTIONS

Elon Musk (DOGE Lead): Posted on X (formerly Twitter) that there are “millions” of individuals over 100 years old in the SSA database with the “death field set to FALSE,” joking about “vampires” collecting benefits.

President Donald Trump: Through Principal Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields, expressed support for the DOGE’s mission to “aggressively slash government waste,” noting that Bisignano’s confirmation as SSA commissioner is expected “in the coming weeks.”

Leland Dudek (Acting SSA Commissioner): Has reportedly posted favorable views regarding DOGE’s efforts to uncover fraud and cut costs within federal programs.

White House Statement: Emphasized that the administration seeks officials who will serve “on behalf of the American people” rather than cater to “the bureaucracy that has failed them.”

WHAT’S NEXT

DOGE will continue its 18-month mission to audit and reduce inefficiencies across the federal government, keeping the SSA in its crosshairs.

With Michelle King gone, interim commissioner Leland Dudek is expected to cooperate with DOGE’s deeper probes into the SSA’s longstanding record-keeping issues, while awaiting Frank Bisignano’s swift confirmation.

If DOGE substantiates widespread errors or potential fraud, legislative or administrative reforms may follow, including modernization of the SSA’s databases to better reflect mortality data.