Cuts to the Social Security Administration have caused “customer service chaos” for millions of older Americans and those with disabilities who rely on the agency’s services, according to a new report from a group of Democratic senators.
An investigation found that phone wait times were more than 10 times higher than what the agency claimed on its website, if the calls were even answered at all.
The longer wait times come after the Trump administration laid off more than 7,000 employees at the Social Security Administration, which the report said has led to devastating cuts to service for beneficiaries.
“The results of these cuts have been catastrophic – driving up wait times for phone services and in-person field office appointments,” the report said. “Some rural field offices have reportedly been left with such limited capacity that [they] are effectively closed – unable to carry out the in-person services millions of older Americans and people with disabilities rely on.”
The report from Elizabeth Warren provides updates from the first year of the “Social Security War Room” that was created to fight the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine social security. Warren formed the group with other senators in the chamber’s finance committee, including ranking member Ron Wyden, Mark Kelly and Raphael Warnock.
The senators factchecked billionaire Elon Musk who, as head of Doge, said that there was fraud, waste and abuse within the Social Security Administration.
Musk falsely claimed that dead people and undocumented immigrations were receiving social security benefits, which he called a “ponzi scheme”.
Doge said last year that 40% of calls made to the social security agency to change direct deposit information were fraudulent. But data from the Social Security Administration (SSA) found that only two cases of fraud were found out of 110,000 new claims that were made over the phone.
“Since Day One, Donald Trump’s attacks on Social Security have made it harder for Americans to get their benefits,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren in a statement on rhe report. “We launched our Social Security War Room a year ago to fight back and stop Trump’s damage, and that’s exactly what we’ve done.”
The report noted that instead of working to address its customer service crisis, “Doge was busy pilfering SSA beneficiaries’ sensitive and personal information”, citing ongoing investigations by members of Congress and an internal government watchdog over allegations that a staffer misused sensitive social security data.
The report also criticized leadership at the agency for pushing misleading data and claims, along with mismanaging its staffing crisis and proposing cuts to services.
In October, Trump appointed as head of the Social Security Administration investment banker Frank Bisignano, who admitted during a town hall that he had to Google search the position when he was offered it.
Bisignano planned to limit disability benefits through social security and raise the retirement age for eligibility last fall, the report noted, but ultimately scrapped the plan after significant backlash.
“Commissioner Bisignano’s disastrous leadership continues to put Americans’ benefits at risk,” the report concluded. “He is haphazardly shifting employees and limiting field office services to cover over the administration’s catastrophic staff cuts and has indicated SSA is considering alarming solutions to address the insolvency of Social Security – including raising the retirement age.
A Social Security Administration spokesperson refuted Senator Warren’s claims about wait times, citing an inspector general report.
“The baseless claims made by Senator Warren and perpetuated through her so-called ‘War Room’ only serve the purpose of scaring America’s seniors and most vulnerable who rely on Social Security,” they said. “Senator Warren refuses to acknowledge the significant customer service improvements occurring at SSA under Commissioner Bisignano’s leadership.”
“President Trump has fought and delivered for America’s seniors more than any of his predecessors,” claimed Liz Huston, a White House spokesperson, in an email.
They did not comment on the allegations by Warren about misinformation and cuts to the Social Security Administration, but cited a temporary tax deduction on benefits.
“President Trump will always protect and strengthen Social Security, which is why he signed historic legislation removing taxes on Social Security benefits for nearly all beneficiaries. While President Trump fought to put more money back in seniors’ pockets with historic tax relief, radical Democrat Elizabeth Warren voted to block these crucial tax cuts.”
