Trump & Musk and sabotaging Social Security

The Trump administration has initiated significant changes to the Social Security Administration (SSA) that critics argue are the first steps toward undermining the program. Starting March 31, individuals applying for Social Security benefits will no longer be able to start their claims over the phone. Instead, they must either apply online or visit a field office in person.

This move, coupled with staff cuts and office closures, has sparked outrage among advocates for seniors and disabled Americans, who fear the changes will create unnecessary barriers for vulnerable populations.

For decades, Americans could begin their Social Security claims by calling the SSA at 1-800-772-1213.

However, the agency has now eliminated this option, citing a shift toward modernizing identity verification processes.

According to an internal memo obtained by Popular Information, applicants who cannot verify their identity online through the SSA’s “my Social Security” portal will be required to visit a field office in person. The memo estimates that 75,000 to 85,000 elderly and disabled adults per week will be diverted to field offices, many of whom lack access to computers or smartphones.

The changes come as the Trump administration slashes SSA staffing to a 50-year low, with plans to cut approximately 7,000 jobs and close dozens of field offices. Critics argue that these cuts, combined with the new in-person requirements, will overwhelm the already strained agency and create chaos for beneficiaries.

“This is no longer a proposal. This is now happening,” said Judd Legum, founder of Popular Information, who broke the story. “The people I’m speaking to at the Social Security Administration believe this is an effort to break the organization. There is no way, even at current staffing levels, for them to handle this influx of people into their offices.”

A Growing Burden on Vulnerable Populations
The new requirements disproportionately affect elderly and disabled Americans, many of whom live in rural areas or have limited mobility. For some, traveling to a field office can mean a journey of over 100 miles. The SSA’s memo acknowledges the strain these changes will place on vulnerable populations but offers no clear solutions for those unable to travel.

“Intentionally constructing obstacles for the people who’ve earned these benefits betrays at the least an indifference—and more likely, an outright hostility—to the elderly, people with disabilities, their families, and survivors who rely on Social Security,” said Max Richtman, president and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.

New Jersey's anti-establishment progressive Democrat Lisa McCormick, who challenged disgraced former US Senator Bob Menendez in 2018, condemned the changes as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to dismantle Social Security and urged citizens to endorse a plan to save the retirement system.

“Trump and Elon Musk are creating new hardships for millions of elderly and disabled Americans,” McCormick said. “They want to make it impossible to collect the money you deserve so they can have more money that they do not deserve. Rather than pushing for cuts, Social Security must be expanded and strengthened now.”

Identity Verification Changes and Direct Deposit Updates
The new identity verification rules will also impact current beneficiaries who need to update their direct deposit information. If they cannot verify their identity online, they will be required to visit a field office in person.

While the SSA claims the changes will expedite processing times for direct deposit updates to one business day, critics argue the benefits are outweighed by the burdens placed on beneficiaries.

Political Backlash and Legal Challenges
New York State Attorney General Letitia James has criticized the changes, calling them “shameful” and warning that they will prevent vulnerable Americans from accessing the benefits they need. Meanwhile, an internal memo from Acting Deputy SSA Commissioner Doris Diaz outlines the risks of the proposed changes, including service disruptions, legal challenges, and congressional scrutiny.

Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, accused Trump-appointed acting commissioner Leland Dudek of prioritizing the interests of billionaires over beneficiaries.

“Dudek’s leadership has been the darkest in Social Security’s nearly 90-year history,” she said. “He is willing to deny over 70 million Americans their benefits rather than stop Elon Musk’s DOGE from accessing sensitive data.”

The Fight to Protect Social Security
Advocates are urging Congress to intervene and protect Social Security from further cuts and privatization efforts.

McCormick has called for “scrapping the cap” on taxable earnings, which would require wealthy Americans to contribute to Social Security at the same rate as everyone else.

“The way to fix this problem is by eliminating the cap on taxable income,” said McCormick. “This action alone would put Social Security on a solid financial foundation.”

As the changes take effect, millions of Americans who rely on Social Security face an uncertain future. For many, the program is not just a safety net but a lifeline.

“Social Security and Medicare represent the values of fairness and mutual support in our country,” said Jon “Bowzer” Bauman of the doo-wop group Sha Na Na. “It’s not an entitlement. It’s what people paid into. It’s their money and their benefits.”

The Trump administration’s latest moves have reignited the debate over the future of Social Security, with advocates warning that the program’s survival depends on the actions of lawmakers and the public. As Bauman put it, “This is about dignity. Social Security allows people to live independently instead of struggling in despair.”

“At a time when nearly half of older Americans have no retirement savings and over 26% of seniors are trying to survive on an income of less than $17,500 a year, our job is not to cut Social Security as many of our Republican colleagues want to do,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders, who proposed legislation to expand Social Security benefits by $2,400 a year and extend the program's solvency by making the wealthiest people pay their fair share into the system.

“Our job is to expand Social Security so that every senior in America can retire with the dignity that they deserve and every person with a disability can live with the security they need.”

McCormick said requiring millionaires and billionaires to pay the same tax rate as almost every working class American, the Social Security Expansion Actwould ensure the fund’s solvency to the end of the century, help low-income workers stay out of poverty by improving the Special Minimum Benefit, restore student benefits up to age 22 for children of disabled or deceased workers, strengthen benefits for senior citizens and people with disabilities, increase Cost-Of-Living-Adjustments (COLAs) and expand program benefits across-the-board.

The Social Security Expansion Act has also been endorsed by over 25 groups, including: Social Security Works, MoveOn, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, Strengthen Social Security Coalition, American Federation of Teachers, Justice in Aging, Income Movement, Public Citizen, Blue Future, Campaign for America's Future, Labor Campaign for Single Payer, Indivisible, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), AAFGE Council 215, Alliance for Retired Americans, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFSCME Retirees, American Postal Workers Union, People Power United, Left Click, Defeat Republicans, Progress America, The People United, Iron PAC, Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Other98 and Solidarity Action.