During a recent press conference, President Donald Trump was questioned about whether there are any federal agencies or initiatives that Elon Musk’s newly established Department of Government Efficiency should avoid tampering with.

“Social Security will remain untouched,” Trump stated, reflecting a commitment he has reiterated over the years. While he is known for breaking treaties and eliminating various government entities, he recognizes the importance of protecting Social Security benefits for seniors.

Nonetheless, the DOGE team recently made inquiries at the Social Security Administration, with Musk attracting attention for his outlandish statements claiming that significant numbers of 150-year-old “vampires” receive Social Security funds. The DOGE has started deploying staff with a controversial background into critical roles at the Social Security Administration.

Their initial actions included the elimination of 41 jobs and closing at least 10 local offices across the country. While these changes might seem modest compared to the drastic job cuts occurring in other federal sectors, the impact on Social Security service users—who rely on face-to-face assistance—could be significant. Office closures, affecting areas from rural West Virginia to Las Vegas, might severely limit access for vulnerable populations, including the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and children facing poverty due to the loss of parental support.

The Social Security Administration, located just outside Baltimore, manages over 1,200 regional and field offices, accounting for nearly 20% of all federal offices nationwide. Each business day, there are approximately 119,000 visits to these physical locations. Many visitors lack adequate digital skills and require assistance in navigating the complex regulations of a nearly century-old social program. It’s also the place where seniors go to apply for Medicare, which lacks standalone offices, as well as where hearings are conducted for individuals contesting their benefit decisions.

“This is where people access government services,” noted Kathleen Romig, a seasoned authority on the program from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, who recently served temporarily at the Social Security Administration.

If further Social Security office closures proceed under the current administration — as Trump looks to shutter various offices and has even mentioned the possibility of terminating all federal leases — it is the economically disadvantaged, often with limited education, who may find it most challenging to apply for assistance, according to research linked to previous closures.

The White House press office did not respond to a request for information. However, in a recent interview with Fox News, press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized “fake news reporters” for “fear-mongering” about the future of Social Security under Trump. She claimed that Musk is focused exclusively on eliminating waste and fraudulent activities within the program.

With roughly 15 million individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance—many of whom are severely disabled or disadvantaged—these recipients often lack political clout. Many voiced concerns to ProPublica about the growing distance to their nearest Social Security office and the excessively long wait times for phone assistance or processing claims and appeals, which can take anywhere from hours to years. Even before Trump’s administration, the agency’s staffing levels reached a historic low, primarily due to budgetary restrictions and cuts imposed by Republican legislators.

Several beneficiaries of SSI and SSDI in rural communities shared their rising anxiety with ProPublica as they observe Trump and Musk disrupting operations at federal agencies, realizing that further cuts to the Social Security Administration could spell disaster for them.

Bryan Dooley, a 34-year-old with cerebral palsy residing near Winston Salem, North Carolina, relies on a wheelchair and faces speaking challenges (he communicated through a caretaker). He reported that his Social Security benefits were wrongfully terminated months ago as he struggles to restore his assistance while depleting his savings to cover his mortgage.

“I truly wish to remain in my childhood home,” he stated. “The alternative is a 24-hour care facility.”

Dooley, who partakes in nonprofit work with Solutions for Independence assisting others with disabilities, remarked that “we’re all monitoring” the developments occurring at the Social Security Administration. He noted that if his local office were to close down, he might need assistance from a caretaker or family member to travel 100 miles to Raleigh for administrative hearings concerning his benefits; already difficult to schedule, these appointments would become nearly impossible. “This would be a nightmare for everyone involved,” he lamented.

This nightmare is on the verge of becoming a reality in White Plains, New York, one of the agency’s hearing offices marked for closure. In a letter to the Social Security Administration, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand mentioned that the White Plains office, serving beneficiaries across seven counties, currently has over 2,000 pending cases. Starting May, elderly and disabled citizens in the region will have to traverse up to 135 miles to access the next nearest office, which may, in some instances, be located in a different state.

“Will the Administration be closing additional SSA offices?” Gillibrand inquired.

The Social Security Administration did not provide a response to an extensive list of inquiries regarding DOGE’s recent initiatives, including the 10 office closures and workforce reductions. A spokesperson briefly addressed the White Plains situation, confirming that the agency was informed by the General Services Administration that the lease for the White Plains office will not be renewed and that there are no current plans to replace the office. Many hearings will now be conducted virtually, via video and audio, the spokesperson indicated.

DOGE’s influence over the Social Security Administration commenced this week when Trump appointed a low-level official, Leland Dudek, as acting commissioner.

In a now-deleted LinkedIn post, Dudek admitted to clandestinely sharing information with DOGE prior to his appointment. “I confess,” he stated. “I helped DOGE understand SSA. I sent publicly accessible documents and clarified them for DOGE… I confess. I bypassed agency executives, shared executive contact details, and connected DOGE with operational staff.” He asserted, “All my actions were in service to our country, our beneficiaries, and our agency.”

After his appointment, Dudek reassured staff that “our primary goal is to ensure beneficiaries receive the correct amounts and timely service, along with other essential services from us.” He also disputed some of Musk’s assertions concerning widespread Social Security fraud.

In another meeting with Trump officials and Congressional staffers, Dudek suggested “outsourcing” the roles of Social Security call center employees, as reported by The Wall Street Journal this week.

However, DOGE has proceeded with layoffs and staff reductions at the Social Security Administration more cautiously than at other agencies. Unlike aviation safety, nuclear security, and veterans affairs personnel who faced large cuts, it was only Thursday that a smaller group of recently hired or promoted staff began receiving notifications that their positions were not “mission critical.” Those affected were given just eight hours to request a different job within the agency, likely at lower pay and potentially in another city, without guaranteed relocation assistance.

These notifications primarily impacted policy staff and legal experts assisting administrative law judges with disability decisions, which may now take longer and potentially result in more inaccuracies, as indicated by a source who wished to remain anonymous due to fear of repercussions. “Claimants will face negative consequences regarding delays and possible loss of benefits they might otherwise be entitled to,” the source reported. Social Security disability cases already experience significant backlogs at the hearing level, often exceeding one year in processing time.

At this point, employees “directly serving the public,” including those in field offices, have been spared layoffs, at least temporarily.

Nonetheless, staff at Social Security’s regional offices are not categorized as “mission critical,” indicating a continued misunderstanding on DOGE’s part about the needs of disabled individuals, as highlighted by legal aid attorneys across various states. When low-income SSI or SSDI recipients encounter issues that front-line representatives cannot resolve, regional staff play an essential role in addressing these cases. If an individual with an intellectual disability doesn’t grasp the reason for their benefits being halted, regional staff can investigate their file to provide clarity and assistance.

While regional staff have thus far avoided direct layoffs, many now find themselves feeling anxious. One regional team leader, who also requested anonymity for fear of retaliation, stated, “No one knows how the Reduction in Force [RIF] will unfold in the upcoming days, weeks, and months.” The potential closure of offices alongside directives for remote staff to return to physical locations could create situations where employees face lengthy daily commutes, possibly forcing them to resign and consequently hindering beneficiary support.

“We believe this is the strategy, enabling them to avoid overt layoffs” at an agency as integral and typically secure as the Social Security Administration, explained Jessica LaPointe, council president for the American Federation of Government Employees, representing staff at Social Security’s field offices and teleservice centers.

Moreover, the dissatisfaction and low morale burgeoning among Social Security Administration employees, as evidenced in their Signal app discussions, can lead to attrition, especially since it ranks as one of the most overwhelmed and demoralized agencies in federal service, as surveys have indicated these rankings have shown.

“And meanwhile, the beneficiary numbers keep escalating,” noted the regional team leader. (The count of Social Security beneficiaries has surged by over 13 million since 2010, as Baby Boomers transition into retirement.)

Even maintaining current staffing levels, several Social Security analysts informed ProPublica that, adjusted for population changes, this would still represent a sizable reduction in the agency’s ability to deliver benefits and services to clients.

Martin O’Malley, a Democrat who served as the Social Security Administration commissioner from December 2023 to November 2024 and previously governed Maryland, expressed to ProPublica that this week could mark the beginning of a challenging four years for Social Security. “Americans earn these benefits through years of hard work and deserve the customer service necessary to access them,” he asserted. “They have invested in this system too.”

In recent years, the Social Security Administration, in conjunction with the U.S. Digital Service, sought to simplify the application process for individuals with disabilities seeking Social Security benefits. Officials surveyed low-income, elderly, and disabled SSI applicants to identify barriers to access and began developing a streamlined application process featuring straightforward questions and pre-filled answers, eventually available through paper forms, phone, or online submission.

This initiative aimed at reducing both the applicant’s time in submitting claims and the agency’s processing workload. In essence, the goal was to enhance government efficiency.

However, these improvements have stagnated since Trump renamed the U.S. Digital Service to the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency Service.

“In discussions with everyday individuals regarding improvements for Social Security, they consistently express a desire for enhanced staff availability for phone inquiries and appointments, as well as increased office locations to avoid enduring a 60-day wait to access benefits after the loss of a spouse or parent or following the onset of a life-altering disability,” emphasized Romig from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “Currently, the dialogue revolves around vague notions of government overreach rather than focusing on real individuals striving to access essential services.”

The future direction of the Social Security Administration throughout Trump’s term will partially hinge on Frank Bisignano, Trump’s pick for permanent agency commissioner, who will succeed Dudek upon Senate confirmation. Bisignano’s perspective on Social Security, its staffing levels, and the importance of regional and field offices remains unclear, as he has yet to face questioning at a confirmation hearing.

What is known about Bisignano is that he has a solid background in finance and oversees a company valued at $20 billion. During his tenure as CEO of Fiserv, a leading payment processing firm, he achieved cost savings by closing numerous locations and laying off thousands of workers, allowing them to apply for different roles.