The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced plans to cut about 7,000 jobs, approximately 12% of its workforce, calling its staff “bloated.” This decision is part of a broader reorganization within the agency, aligning with the Trump administration’s goal to reduce the size of the federal government.
These cuts come despite President Trump’s repeated promises not to reduce Social Security benefits. However, the move is drawing concerns from employee unions, advocates, and Democratic lawmakers, who fear that reducing staff will negatively impact customer service.
The decision to slash jobs occurs at a time when the number of Americans receiving Social Security benefits is growing rapidly, as the Baby Boom generation continues to retire. Over 73 million people currently receive monthly payments from the SSA.
Rich Couture, spokesperson for the American Federation of Government Employees’ Social Security General Committee, expressed concerns, stating, “We’re at a 50-year staffing low, and we’re serving the highest number of beneficiaries we’ve ever had in the history of this agency.” He warned that these staffing reductions could undermine the SSA’s ability to provide benefits to the American people effectively.
The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) rapid reorganization is being led by Leland Dudek, the acting commissioner appointed by President Trump just under two weeks ago. Dudek, a former mid-level career staffer at the agency, is aggressively reshaping SSA as Trump’s nominee, Frank Bisignano, waits for Senate confirmation.
Earlier in February, Dudek was placed on administrative leave due to his involvement with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, but President Trump later chose to temporarily appoint him to the top role.
A key focus of the restructuring will be on eliminating positions and functions that do not directly contribute to the agency’s core mission, according to a press release from SSA. As part of its effort to reduce the workforce, the agency is offering early retirement and voluntary separation incentives to all employees. Much of the planned reduction in staff—from the current 57,000 to 50,000—is expected to be achieved through these incentives and resignations.
However, the SSA also noted that additional job cuts, including layoffs and the elimination of entire organizations, will occur. This includes the closure of the Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity, which will place 140 employees on administrative leave.
In addition to staffing reductions, the SSA plans to consolidate its 10 regional offices into four and reduce the number of deputy commissioner-level positions. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has also proposed terminating leases for nearly 50 agency sites across the country, raising concerns from lawmakers at both the federal and state levels.
These cuts are part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration to reduce headcounts across the federal government. Agencies have been directed to submit plans for mass layoffs, with the first set of proposals due by March 13.
Although the Trump administration has emphasized that restructuring should not negatively impact vital services like Social Security and Medicare, the changes at SSA are expected to affect benefit delivery. Jack Smalligan, a senior policy fellow at the Urban Institute and former deputy associate director at the Office of Management and Budget, warned that these policy decisions will have significant long-term consequences for millions of Americans, especially in terms of the agency’s ability to function effectively in the future.