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Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, has warned that President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) could make "backdoor" cuts to Social Security.
Newsweek has contacted the Social Security Administration (SSA) and Warren's office for comment via email.
Why It Matters
More than 71 million Americans rely on Social Security benefits, a key form of income for retirees, survivors of deceased claimants and disabled people. However, the program has faced questions about its longevity, with estimates suggesting it could become insolvent by the 2030s without significant reform.
While Trump has promised not to cut benefits, some Republicans have said cuts are on the table. DOGE has also closed several Social Security offices as part of its efforts to reduce the federal government's size.
In February, at least 7,000 SSA employees were terminated, and Democrats have said the cuts may jeopardize Social Security payments for recipients across the country.
What To Know
On Thursday, in a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, Warren raised concerns about new SSA policies.
Earlier this month, the agency said it would require identity verification either online or in person—rather than over the phone—as a way to strengthen identity-proofing security.
After facing criticism about the policy, the agency said on Wednesday it would make exceptions, allowing individuals applying for certain benefits—such as Medicare, Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income—to complete identity verification over the phone if they could not do so online.
However, other SSA applicants who could not complete the process online would still be required to verify their identities in person.
Warren said this could amount to a "backdoor" cut for some recipients, writing on X: "Say a 66-year-old man qualifies for Social Security. Say he calls the helpline to apply, but he's told about a new DOGE rule, so he has to go online or in person. He can't drive. He has trouble with the website, so he waits until his niece can get a day off to take him to the local office, but DOGE closed that office, so they have to drive two hours to get to the next closest office."
When they arrive, the senator continued, they may face a 50-person line with only a few workers, and the man may not make it to the front of the line before the office closes and would have to return at a later date.
"Let's assume it takes him three months to straighten this out, and he misses a total of $5,000 in benefits checks, which, by law, he will never get back," Warren said. "This scenario is a backdoor way Musk and Trump could cut Social Security."
What People Are Saying
Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, told Fox News on Thursday: "What we're doing will help their benefits. Legitimate people, as a result of the work of DOGE, will receive more Social Security, not less."
Former Social Security Commissioner Martin O'Malley wrote on X on Tuesday: "The Musk/Trump co-presidency has already taken 90% of the actions necessary to drive Social Security into a total system collapse."
Acting Social Security Commissioner Lee Dudek said in a statement on Wednesday: "We have listened to our customers, Congress, advocates, and others, and we are updating our policy to provide better customer service to the country's most vulnerable populations."
Senator John Curtis, a Republican from Utah, told NBC News on Sunday: "We all need to say, those in retirement and those near retirement, we're not going to touch it, you're safe. But let's have that conversation, because my kids don't think they're going to get it. So why can't we have a conversation with them about moving some of the variables around, and the sooner we do it, the less dramatic it has to be. If we don't do it, we have worse decisions thrust upon us."
What Happens Next
The SSA's acting commissioner said this week that the identity verification changes would go into effect on April 14, two weeks later than the initial March 31 launch date.
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About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more