Acting Commissioner of the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) Michelle King resigned after Elon Musk's team, which works for the U.S. government, tried to gain access to confidential data of millions of Americans. This was reported by The New York Times, according to UNN.
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The resignation of Michelle King, who is acting commissioner, is reportedly the latest sudden departure of a senior federal official who refused to give Musk's aides access to classified data. Musk's team has been infiltrating agencies across the federal government and attempting to gain access to private data as part of what it calls an effort to root out fraud and waste.
Social Security benefits amount to about $1.5 trillion, or one-fifth of annual federal spending in the United States. US President Donald Trump has pledged not to implement cuts to the program's retirement benefits, but he has made it clear that he is willing to look for ways to cut wasteful or misdirected spending on the pension program that pays benefits to millions of Americans.
An audit by the Social Security Administration's inspector general last year found that from 2015 to 2022, the agency paid out nearly $8.6 trillion in benefits and spent about $71.8 billion, or less than 1%, on improper payments, which typically resulted in recipients receiving too much money.
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Musk's team at the Social Security Administration has been trying to gain access to an internal data repository containing large amounts of personal information about Americans, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. The agency's systems contain financial data, employment information and addresses for anyone with a Social Security number.
"The SSA has the complete medical records of people who have applied for disability benefits," said Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, a group that advocates for the expansion of Social Security. - "They have our banking information, our income records, the names and ages of our children, and much more.
Warning of the risks associated with Musk's team gaining access to the data, Altman added: "The seriousness of this leak cannot be overstated.
According to one former employee, access to this information is usually kept secret within the agency due to confidentiality concerns. It is unclear how many members of Musk's team attempted to access it, whether they were ultimately successful, or whether they were granted full employment status with the Social Security Administration.
The new acting SSA commissioner is Leland Dudek, who previously headed the agency's fraud unit. Sources say that Dudek had previously expressed support for Musk's team and deleted his LinkedIn account after his appointment.
President Donald Trump has nominated Frank Bisignano, a fintech executive, to head the SSA, who is still awaiting Senate confirmation.
Meanwhile, Musk's team is trying to get access to confidential data from the US Treasury Department and the IRS. The White House confirmed that the process of obtaining tax information is already underway.
Recall
Earlier UNN wrote that US President Donald Trump signed a decree on a large-scale reduction of civil servants and gave Elon Musk's team the authority to make personnel appointments.
According to the decree, the specially created Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) is given broad powers to shape the structure of the civil service, with the exception of law enforcement and immigration agencies.