Indian American official Arjun Mody has been sworn as Deputy Commissioner at Social Security Administration (SSA) to serve as chief operating officer of the agency delivering benefits to tens of millions of Americans.
Mody, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Dec. 18, 2025, was sworn in on Jan. 5 by SSA Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano for the term expiring Jan. 19, 2031, according to an SSA release.
“Under President Donald J. Trump, the Social Security Administration is transforming into a premier service organization to serve more Americans at faster speeds than ever before,” said Bisignano. “I am grateful to have Arjun Mody at the Social Security Administration, and I expect his passion for public service and wealth of experience will elevate the agency’s work.”
Thanking Trump for the opportunity to serve in the new role at SSA, Modi vowed to “make Social Security great for every American.”
Before his nomination, Mody served as a Sherpa program official for the Trump Vance Transition. His work contributed to the fastest confirmation of a presidential cabinet in thirty years, with every nomination vote won.
Previously, Mody led the third ranking leadership office in the U.S. Senate as Staff Director of the Senate Republican Conference. He also worked on Capitol Hill for Senators Elizabeth Dole, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and John Barrasso.
Mody began his career as a Presidential Management Fellow at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. He also was a Principal at S-3 Group, advising Fortune 100 companies on legislative strategy, regulatory engagement, mergers, crisis management, and public affairs campaigns.
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Mody is a graduate of La Salle University, Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, and American University Washington College of Law.
During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, Mody told senators that Social Security must balance service and control.
“From the moment a child receives a Social Security card to the moment a family receives a death benefit, Americans will have an agency that works for them,” he said. He described the agency’s responsibilities as both operational and financial, calling it “an immense operational and financial challenge.”
“A 50,000-person workforce, over 1,200 field offices, and a $1.5 trillion annual spend—the largest in our government,” Mody said. “It demands experienced leadership, operational excellence, and pragmatic problem-solving.”
Social Security is one of the most consequential federal programs, providing retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to more than 70 million Americans. The agency has faced sustained scrutiny in recent years over staffing shortages, technology modernization, and service delays, particularly as the U. S. population ages.