- The Social Security Administration’s acting commissioner, Michelle King, left her job at the agency over billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency requests to access sensitive government records, according to multiple reports and sources familiar with her departure. Reports said that King, who worked more than 30 years at the agency, stepped down on Sunday.
- President Donald Trump appointed Leland Dudek, who was in charge of the agency’s anti-fraud office, as acting commissioner, while nominating Frank Bisignano to be the head of the agency, pending U.S. Senate confirmation.
- The Washington Post reports, Dudek’s selection means Trump passed on dozens of other senior executives who were part of the agency’s leadership hierarchy.
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The Social Security Administration’s acting commissioner, Michelle King, left her job at the agency over billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) requests to access sensitive government records, according to multiple reports and sources familiar with her departure.
Reports said that King, who worked more than 30 years at the agency before clashing with DOGE over its attempts to access Social Security recipient information, stepped down on Sunday, Feb. 16.
Who will serve in her place?
President Donald Trump has appointed Leland Dudek, who was in charge of the agency’s anti-fraud office, as acting commissioner. Meanwhile, Trump has nominated Frank Bisignano to be the head of the agency, pending U.S. Senate confirmation.
The Washington Post reports that Dudek’s selection means Trump passed on dozens of other senior executives who were part of the agency’s leadership hierarchy.
The move drew the condemnation of Martin O’Malley, the former Social Security commissioner under the Biden administration, who told The Washington Post, “It’s a shame the chilling effect it has to disregard 120 senior executive people.”
What is the Trump administration saying?
The White House maintains that Musk’s associates are properly vetted before they are cleared for official roles within the agencies they help inspect.
The Trump administration has argued that these associates should be able to access federal data to find wasteful or fraudulent spending.
The administration accuses media outlets of “fearmongering” about Social Security payments, and said Trump has only directed Musk to identify fraud in the program while promising seniors’ retirement benefits would be protected.
How does it play into the bigger picture?
The agency is responsible for paying out pensions to more than 70 million American seniors and manages sensitive data, including Americans’ work and pay history, as well as other personal information.
Musk’s associates have already requested to access records from other government agencies, leading to disputes with senior officials.
