By Yamiche Alcindor and Raquel Coronell Uribe
Michelle King, the head of the Social Security Administration (SSA), stepped down this weekend after refusing a request from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to access sensitive government records held by the agency, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields confirmed King’s departure in a statement, announcing that President Trump has nominated Frank Bisignano, a highly qualified candidate, to lead the SSA. Bisignano’s confirmation is expected in the coming weeks. In the interim, the agency will be led by Leland Dudek, a career anti-fraud expert at the SSA, as acting commissioner.
“President Trump is committed to appointing the best and most qualified individuals who are dedicated to working on behalf of the American people, not to appease a bureaucracy that has failed them for far too long,” Fields said.
The Washington Post first reported King’s resignation.
Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, a progressive advocacy group focused on protecting and expanding Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, told NBC News that King’s departure stemmed from her refusal to grant DOGE access to sensitive data. This information reportedly included Americans’ bank details, Social Security numbers, earnings records, marital statuses, dates of birth, and, in some cases, medical records for those who have applied for disability benefits.
“She was replaced as acting commissioner because she would not give access to the sensitive information,” Altman said. “It was her choice to leave, but it was the White House’s decision to remove her from the leadership role.”
Altman criticized DOGE’s request, emphasizing the gravity of the potential breach. “The information held by the Social Security Administration is deeply personal, and Americans trust the government to handle it with care. This is a serious overreach,” she said.
King, who has served at the SSA for decades, has chosen to retire following the dispute. The SSA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This marks the latest in a series of high-profile departures among senior officials whose agencies have faced scrutiny from DOGE. The SSA, which manages payments for over 70 million Americans, has been a focal point of President Trump’s pledge to safeguard retirement benefits while cracking down on fraud.
In an interview with Fox News, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump has directed Musk and DOGE to identify potential fraud within the SSA. While the team has not yet “dug into the books,” Leavitt stated that they suspect widespread fraud is occurring. However, a July report from the SSA’s inspector general found that only 0.84% of benefit payments from 2015 to 2022 were improper.
DOGE’s attempts to access sensitive information have drawn criticism and legal challenges in the past. Earlier this month, a DOGE-affiliated employee at the IRS sought access to a system containing taxpayer information, according to an administration official. DOGE also accessed the Treasury Department’s payment system, which stores Social Security numbers and other confidential financial data, prompting lawsuits alleging violations of federal privacy laws.
A judge temporarily blocked political appointees and special government employees, including those at DOGE, from accessing sensitive Treasury Department systems, limiting access to two employees with “read-only” privileges.
Additionally, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revealed this month that Trump authorized Musk to access disaster data within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), further raising concerns about DOGE’s expanding reach into sensitive government systems.
King’s resignation underscores the growing tension between federal agencies and DOGE as it seeks to streamline government operations while raising questions about privacy and data security.
