The Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Michelle King, has resigned from her position, as confirmed to CBS News by a Trump administration official.
Leland Dudek, who previously managed the SSA’s fraud investigation office, will take over King’s responsibilities following her resignation, according to the official.
On Monday, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields announced via social media, “President Trump has nominated the highly qualified and talented Frank Bisignano to head the Social Security Administration. We anticipate his swift confirmation in the coming weeks. In the interim, the agency will be led by a career expert in Social Security anti-fraud efforts as the acting commissioner.”
The White House has not offered a specific explanation for King’s departure. CBS News has reached out to the SSA for further comments.
Nancy Altman, president of the advocacy organization Social Security Works, informed CBS News that SSA employees reported attempts by officials from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to gain access to the Enterprise Data Warehouse, a central database that contains vital personal information regarding Social Security benefits, such as beneficiary records and earnings data. Altman noted that King had been reluctant to grant DOGE officials access to this database.
“She was standing in the way, and they moved her out of the way. They installed someone they believed would collaborate with them and provide access to all our personal data,” Altman stated.
The Washington Post was the first to report on King’s resignation.
King’s exit is part of a series of departures among senior officials concerned about the potential illegal access by DOGE staffers to private taxpayer information.
DOGE has already gained access to Treasury payment systems and is working to access Internal Revenue Service databases.
Since President Trump has returned to the White House, his billionaire advisor Elon Musk and DOGE have swiftly infiltrated federal agencies.
Altman told The Associated Press, “The seriousness of this breach cannot be overstated. My understanding is that it has already occurred.”
“The information maintained securely by the Social Security Administration is extremely sensitive,” she explained. “SSA possesses data on everyone with a Social Security number, which includes nearly all Americans, as well as Medicare beneficiaries and every low-income American who has applied for the Supplemental Security Income, a means-tested companion program.”
“Should there be any malicious intent to target perceived opponents, there is a possibility of manipulating one’s earnings record, thereby obstructing the collection of the Social Security and Medicare benefits that have been rightfully earned,” she remarked.
The future of Social Security has emerged as a critical political matter and was a significant issue during the 2024 election campaign. Approximately 72.5 million individuals, including retirees, disabled persons, and children, receive Social Security benefits.
