The U.S. Social Security Administration announced on Friday, February 28th, its plan to cut 7,000 employees. This is the latest move of the Trump administration’s program to reduce federal government waste.
The Social Security Administration’s functions include providing benefits to elderly Americans and sending monthly checks to 73 million retirees and disabled Americans.
In a statement, the agency mentioned plans to reduce bloated staff and organizational structure, focusing on departments and employees that do not directly provide key mission services. The workforce reduction is expected to exceed 12%.
The statement stated, “The SSA recently set a staffing target of 50,000 employees, below the current level of around 57,000 employees.”
The agency confirmed closures of some field offices, reducing the number from the current 10 to 4.
According to a memo from acting commissioner Leland Dudek, over 20 senior SSA employees resigned on Friday.
His predecessor, Michelle King, resigned due to her opposition to employees of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Musk gaining access to the SSA’s computer systems.
The White House and the Department of Government Efficiency have yet to respond to requests for comment.
The Social Security Administration is a critical agency for managing benefits and pensions for elderly Americans, historically considered a rare area for downsizing within the government.
President Trump and DOGE director Elon Musk have voiced concerns about the bloated and wasteful nature of U.S. government agencies, preparing to cut approximately 100,000 employees from the current 2.3 million civilian workforce.
(This article referenced reporting from Reuters)