The SSA has not addressed inquiries from WIRED regarding the tasks that the DOGE operatives are undertaking within the agency.
During a meeting on Tuesday, United States DOGE Service administrator Amy Gleason informed staff that engineers linked to Musk, along with some legacy USDS employees, would be heading to the SSA to enhance “identity proofing,” according to insiders in attendance. The US DOGE Service represents a permanent rebranding of the US Digital Service. Identity proofing is a process employed by the SSA to confirm the identities of users seeking access to their benefits. This process involves registration with identity applications like the government’s own Login.gov or third-party services such as ID.me.
In a gathering last week, as reported by The Washington Post, Dudek, the acting commissioner of the SSA, indicated to staff that the “DOGE individuals” were essentially overseeing daily operations at the agency and that “mistakes would happen.” He also mentioned that he had been in close contact with the White House.
“I serve the president,” Dudek stated, according to a longer recording of the meeting acquired by ProPublica. “I must follow the president’s directives. I’ve had to make difficult decisions, some of which I didn’t agree with, but I acted on them because the president requested it.”
In February, Dudek detailed plans to terminate 7,000 employees at the SSA and close over half of the agency’s regional offices, confirming that many of the SSA’s top officials were preparing to leave. This week, the agency reportedly abandoned plans to fully eliminate phone service for clients following a report from The Washington Post.
The SSA operates a complex system grounded in decades-old technology, housing some of the most sensitive personal data found within the US government. Experts have raised significant concerns about the risks posed by DOGE engineers making errors within these systems.
Martin O’Malley, a former SSA commissioner, expressed concerns last week, following the DOGE intervention, that the SSA’s system could potentially “collapse” in a matter of months, leading to “an interruption of benefits.” This sentiment was echoed by Flick, who warned in her affidavit that DOGE’s unfamiliarity with SSA systems, coupled with the notable loss of expertise as agency personnel depart, raises serious doubts about the continuity of SSA programs.
“There is a legitimate concern that personally identifiable information could be compromised or source code manipulated without adequate oversight and safeguards,” stated John McGing, a former SSA employee with nearly four decades of experience at the agency, in a conversation with WIRED.
Furthermore, DOGE has instituted a $1 limit on federal credit card transactions, resulting in some regional SSA offices facing challenges in procuring essential supplies, including paper and toner, as shared with WIRED by one SSA staff member.
“We have begun rationing paper,” the source reported. “Clients often request four copies of their benefit verification letters. We’ve been limiting them to one and advising them to make their own copies.”
The availability of sign language interpreters for appointments at the SSA has also been disrupted due to the $1 spending limit. “We have to inform the client that we can’t provide an interpreter, even though our website states that we will,” the source recounted, referencing a recent incident.
SSA personnel are now reportedly unable to order death certificates, which are critical for verifying the status of individuals within the system, according to an email reviewed by WIRED.
Additionally, the office is currently unable to pay the company responsible for shredding the vast quantities of sensitive documents it generates daily, raising concerns that significant amounts of confidential personally identifiable information could soon be left unsecured within the office.
Timothy Marchman contributed reporting.
