The Quiet Dismantling of Social Security: What Every American Needs to Know

May 07, 2025

By Shaun Southworth, Attorney for Federal Employees

In 2025, the Social Security Administration (SSA)—which serves over 70 million Americans every month—is being hollowed out under the guise of “efficiency.” At the heart of this transformation is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new executive office established by President Trump and reportedly influenced by Elon Musk. While marketed as a way to cut waste, the reality is far more dangerous: SSA is being systematically stripped of the people, systems, and infrastructure it needs to deliver benefits on time and at scale.

Mass Layoffs, Exploding Backlogs

Earlier this year, SSA announced it would cut approximately 7,000 employees, representing more than 12% of its entire workforce. This is not a bloated agency—SSA already operates with one of the leanest administrative budgets in the federal government, with over 99% of its funding going directly to benefits. For every American who depends on timely Social Security, this means fewer case workers, slower responses, and a collapsing safety net.

Disability backlogs have already started growing again. After briefly improving in 2024, pending cases surpassed 271,000 in early 2025, reversing progress made during prior years. The average wait time for an initial disability decision is now over 7 months, and appeals can drag on for over a year. Worse, SSA’s own Inspector General found that 57% of priority “manager-to-manager” cases were mishandled, meaning thousands of urgent cases may have been delayed unnecessarily.

Office Closures, Tech Failures, and Glitches

The cuts haven’t stopped at personnel. DOGE has reportedly circulated internal plans to close dozens of SSA field offices, particularly in rural or underserved areas. Despite public denials, internal documents reveal that 6 of 10 SSA regional offices are also on the chopping block.

At the same time, SSA attempted to eliminate the ability to apply for retirement or survivor benefits over the phone—a move that would disproportionately harm seniors and people without reliable internet access. This policy was temporarily paused following public backlash and intervention from groups like AARP.

Meanwhile, the MySSA online portal experienced five outages in March alone, including a particularly damaging glitch where thousands of SSI recipients saw messages falsely stating their benefits were terminated. Although benefits were ultimately paid on time, no proactive communication or explanation was issued. Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden, and Mark Kelly called the incident “deeply troubling” in a letter to SSA leadership.

Outsiders in Control—and Legal Battles Brewing

Perhaps most concerning is that DOGE consultants and tech personnel were granted backend access to SSA’s databases, raising serious privacy concerns. Federal employee unions and advocacy groups filed suit, and in March 2025, a federal judge issued an injunction blocking DOGE’s access to SSA records. The Biden-era Commissioner Martin O’Malley, who was ousted in January, has since warned that continued mismanagement and political interference could lead to "an interruption of benefit payments"—an unprecedented event in SSA history.

Why This Matters

Social Security is the most effective anti-poverty program in American history. Over 7 million seniors rely on it for 90% or more of their income. Delays, errors, or disruptions are not minor inconveniences—they can be life-threatening. And when offices close or processes break down, access to benefits decreases. One study found that disability claims dropped by 16% in areas where local SSA offices were shuttered—not because people didn’t need help, but because they couldn’t get it.

This isn’t government reform. It’s a backdoor attempt to reduce benefits by making it harder to claim them.

What You Can Do

If you or a loved one relies on Social Security—or expects to—you should be paying attention. Share this post. Contact your representatives. Demand full funding and transparent oversight of SSA operations. Efficiency should mean better service, not fewer rights.

The American public deserves a Social Security system that works—not one that’s quietly being dismantled.

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