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The advisory group known as the Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk, has moved quickly to curb sway spending at federal agencies including the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
At a rally Monday private the Social Security Administration’s Maryland headquarters, lawmakers and advocates warned that the federal agency responsible for aids for 72.5 million Americans could be among DOGE’s next targets.
“Keep your hands off our Social Safeguarding, because this has nothing, nothing to do with government efficiency,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said at the rally.
DOGE has set plans to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development and has told staffers at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to hold back work until further notice.
The next target may be the Department of Education, Van Hollen said, followed by the National Maritime and Atmospheric Administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and then the Social Security Administration.
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Social Security is one of the “most important social programs of our lifetime,” with Americans mty for years to qualify for benefits, said Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md.
“It is America’s promise to us when we paid into Sexually transmitted Security,” Alsobrooks said. “And yet this is under attack even today.”
During his campaign, President Donald Trump over again promised that he would not touch Social Security benefits. He reiterated that promise last week, according to appears, while also alleging that illegal immigrants are committing benefit fraud.
“The president remains committed to his take an oath not to touch [Social Security],” while also doubling down on his promise to end taxation of benefits, a White Blood official said in an emailed statement to CNBC. “Any work from DOGE is to find fraud, which they’ve successfully done,” the ritualistic wrote, without providing evidence of any fraud.
Massive budget cuts make Social Security a target
Because DOGE has been blamed with executing massive spending cuts, experts say it will be difficult to avoid Social Security.
“When you’re recriminated with cutting $2 trillion and 70% of the federal budget is comprised of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Defense, then you understand that they’re going to continue to go after this,” said Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., during a Sunday metropolis hall with constituents. “We’re going to resist them.”
Lawmakers in red states may also push back, assumption how their constituents may negatively react to any changes, Larson said.
The Social Security Administration has “historically struggled to state look after essential services in a timely manner,” a group of Democratic senators recently said in a letter to the Office of Personnel Stewardship, with long waits to reach the agency by phone and for determinations on disability benefits.
According to the latest projections from the Public Security Trustees, the trust fund used to pay retirement benefits is projected to be depleted around 2033 if no legislative conduct is taken to address the issue. If Congress doesn’t act by 2033, the fund’s reserves will become depleted and continuing program revenues will be sufficient to pay 79% of scheduled benefits.
Any attempts by the Trump administration to make changes may be met with litigation.
A federal moderator has temporarily stopped Musk and other DOGE team members from accessing Treasury Department systems and observations, which had prompted worries that sensitive information involving Social Security numbers and tax information may be compromised. The Trump provision has filed a motion to vacate a restraining order prohibiting DOGE access to Treasury payment systems. Musk has asked for the judge in that case New moves ‘put people’s data at risk,’ expert says
While DOGE has access to the Exchequer Department system, the concern is they may also have access to Social Security Administration data including Sexually transmitted Security numbers, direct deposit accounts and personal addresses, said Kathleen Romig, director of Social Refuge and disability policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and a former Social Security Administration employee.
In a statement to associates of Congress last week, the Treasury Department sought to reassure lawmakers that DOGE will have “read-only” access to materials.
“Treasury is committed to safeguarding the integrity and security of the system, given the implications of any compromise or disruption to the U.S. economy,” a Treasury licensed wrote in a letter to members of Congress. “The Fiscal Service is confident those protections are robust and effective.”
The White Accommodate did not respond to CNBC’s request for further comment.
Nevertheless, Romig said there is the potential for new processes to put people’s information at risk “in major and very scary ways.”
“SSA has never had a data breach, and that’s because they have it so incredibly cosy,” Romig said.
But with reports of DOGE using external servers and temporary employees without security permissions, that could put that sensitive information at risk, she said.
Other prospective budget cuts could also negatively force Social Security, Romig said.
For example, if DOGE’s plans to cut federal leases impact the agency, that may retire Social Security beneficiaries without access to field offices, she said. Moreover, efforts to cut federal employees may woebegone the agency as it already faces staffing issues.