President Donald Trump has threatened to shut down the U.S. Social Security Administration if Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is not given access to the personal data of citizens.
Trump’s interim Social Security chief suggested Thursday night he will effectively turn off the agency that manages the essential safety net program for seniors and the disabled, if DOGE can’t access the non-anonymized sensitive personal information and data of hundreds of millions of Americans, based on a judge’s order.
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“My anti-fraud team would be DOGE affiliates. My IT staff would be DOGE affiliates,” said Lee Dudek, acting Social Security Administration (SSA) commissioner, arguing the order was too broad, according to Bloomberg News.
He went on to say that he would terminate access by all SSA employees to the SSA IT systems. He also said that he wants to turn it off and let the courts figure out how they want to run a federal agency.
Dudek’s threat would make SSA employees unable to process and make social security payments to those who need it. A judge had placed a temporary restraining order against DOGE accessing non-anonymized personal data as well as personally identifiable information, in a case brought about by the AFL-CIO labor union.
Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander reportedly wrote that the SSA had likely violated administrative and privacy laws when it gave DOGE “unbridled access to the personal and private data of millions of Americans, including but not limited to Social Security numbers, medical records, mental health records, hospitalization records, drivers’ license numbers, bank and credit card information, tax information, income history, work history, birth and marriage certificates, and home and work addresses.”
What is social security?
Social security is a U.S. government program that provides financial support to individuals who are retired, disabled, or survivors of deceased workers. Funded through payroll taxes under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA), workers contribute a portion of their earnings, which is matched by employers.
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The program is designed to help individuals maintain a basic standard of living when they can no longer work due to age, disability, or the death of a breadwinner. Workers earn social security credits based on their earnings, and once eligible, they can receive monthly benefits.
These benefits include retirement assistance for those 62 or older, disability benefits for those who cannot work, and survivor benefits for family members of deceased workers. Social security is a critical part of the U.S. social safety net, providing financial security for millions of Americans during times of need.