Social Security’s Top Official Quits After Requests From Elon Musk’s DOGE
The head of the Social Security Administration stepped down over the weekend following a dispute with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) regarding access to private records of American citizens.
Michelle King, who had been serving as acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration for three decades and oversaw benefits for 73 million retirees and disabled individuals, resigned, according to the White House, as reported by USA Today.
USA Today, the first to break the news of King’s resignation, stated that President Trump appointed Leland Dudek, previously in charge of Social Security’s anti-fraud division, as acting commissioner. Additionally, Trump selected Frank Bisignano, president and CEO of Fiserv, as his nominee for the permanent leadership of the Social Security Administration, pending Senate confirmation.
“President Trump has nominated the highly qualified and talented Frank Bisignano to lead the Social Security Administration, and we expect him to be swiftly confirmed in the coming weeks,” said spokesperson Harrison Fields in an official statement. “In the meantime, the agency will be led by a career Social Security anti-fraud expert as the acting commissioner.”
Fields further added, “President Trump is committed to appointing the best and most qualified individuals who are dedicated to working on behalf of the American people, not to appease the bureaucracy that has failed them for far too long.”
The conflict arose as Musk and his DOGE team expanded efforts across federal agencies to cut costs and streamline operations. In recent days, DOGE has also sought direct access to IRS databases containing sensitive taxpayer information.
Dudek, now serving as acting commissioner, has voiced his support for DOGE’s initiatives through several social media posts, commending efforts to reduce government expenses and combat fraud.
Musk has repeatedly claimed that fraud is rampant within the Social Security Administration, alleging that benefits continue to be issued to deceased individuals, some of whom are listed as being 150 years old.
Meanwhile, President Trump’s approval rating has remained steady and positive exactly one month into his term, even as his administration rapidly implements its agenda.
According to Newsweek, Trump has maintained at least a 50 percent approval rating across three recent polls, with the report noting that “surveys suggest that most Americans approve of the job the president is doing, despite other polls indicating that Trump’s favorability ratings have declined since his first few days back in office.”
A SurveyUSA poll of 2,000 adults revealed that 51 percent of respondents approve of Trump’s performance as president, while 45 percent disapprove, giving him a net approval rating of +6 points.
When broken down by region, Trump’s approval stands stronger in rural areas (59 percent) compared to suburban (48 percent) and urban areas (51 percent).
The SurveyUSA poll, conducted between February 13 and 16, has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
A separate Morning Consult poll, released on Tuesday, indicated that 50 percent of voters approve of Trump’s job performance, with 47 percent disapproving, according to Newsweek.
Eli Yokley, U.S. politics analyst for Morning Consult, and Cameron Easley, head of U.S. political analysis, noted that Trump’s approval rating has “stabilized” after three consecutive weeks of decline.
“The president’s approval and favorability ratings have stabilized following three straight declines week over week. Voters are slightly more likely to approve than disapprove of Trump’s job performance, 50% to 47%, and slightly more likely to view him unfavorably than favorably on a personal level, 49% to 48%,” Yokley told Newsweek. “Both figures represent marginal improvements from last week’s update and are similar to his numbers at the same point in his first term in office.”
The Morning Consult poll surveyed 2,217 registered voters between February 14 and 16.
Additionally, a survey from a Republican polling firm reinforced Trump’s strong approval ratings.
The Napolitan News poll, conducted by Scott Rasmussen and RMG Research, showed Trump’s approval at 55 percent, with a disapproval rating of 43 percent, resulting in a net approval score of +12 points, according to Newsweek.
Trump’s approval among this demographic has consistently remained above 50 percent since his return to the White House on January 20, peaking at 57 percent during his inauguration week.
The Napolitan News poll surveyed 3,000 registered voters between February 10 and 14, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.8 percentage points.