Dogecoin company allegedly reducing workforce at Social Security, intends to weaken IT department amid ongoing website malfunctions: Article claims
In a move that could drastically alter the operations of the Social Security Administration (SSA), the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) - Elon Musk's cost-cutting team within the Trump administration - has reportedly demanded significant cuts to the SSA's workforce and IT team.
According to a report by The Washington Post, the DOGE team plans to re-write the SSA's entire codebase in a matter of months. This ambitious project is part of a broader plan to streamline government operations and reduce spending. However, critics worry that these cuts could lead to serious digital dysfunction.
The IT team currently has approximately 4,000 members, and up to 800 could potentially be laid off. The DOGE team did not provide a specific number of jobs that must be eliminated, but they have demanded significantly deeper cuts to ensure that Social Security meets President Donald Trump's goal to shrink federal agencies.
The SSA has already taken steps to downsize, with the termination of leases for dozens of field offices across the country. This move threatens retirees' ability to get in-person help when signing up for retirement benefits. Additionally, the SSA is reportedly planning to cut web operations, which could further complicate matters for those trying to access their benefits online.
Four agency officials familiar with the plans have spoken about the proposed cuts on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the plans. The officials stated that the cuts being demanded by DOGE are across the board, affecting communications, personnel, legislative and congressional affairs, retirement and disability policy, and other "support components."
The Trump administration has promised to protect Social Security, but there are currently no finalized Reduction in Workforce (RIF) plans. Social Security activists believe DOGE's goal is to hobble the agency's operations and destroy its ability to function. Some even fear that the Trump administration's actions could potentially nullify the concept of "retirement" for the foreseeable future.
Despite these concerns, it's important to note that specific workforce reduction plans for the SSA have not been publicly detailed in available information. The leaders of Musk's cost-cutting team, initially led by Musk himself, have since become more decentralized, with the leadership now institutionalized within individual agencies.
As the situation develops, it will be crucial to monitor the impact of these proposed cuts on the SSA and the millions of Americans who rely on its services.
- The ambitious plan by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team, as reported by The Washington Post, includes re-writing the Social Security Administration's (SSA) entire codebase using technology, a move that could streamline government operations and reduce spending, but potentially lead to digital dysfunction in the future.
- The DOGE team's proposed cuts are not limited to the SSA's IT team alone; they affect communications, personnel, legislative and congressional affairs, retirement and disability policy, and other "support components," according to four agency officials.
- Gizmodo and other general news outlets are closely monitoring the impact of these proposed cuts on the SSA and the millions of Americans who rely on its services, as the situation evolves and the extent of potential policy-and-legislation changes associated with politics becomes clearer.
