Michelle King, Social Security Head Resigns Following Clash with Musk’s Reform Team

Michelle King, acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), resigned this weekend following a request from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to gain access to the agency’s vast store of personal information. Sources familiar with the issue said that the request had serious privacy implications and represented yet another sudden departure of a federal official not ready to meet Musk’s team halfway.

This resignation by Michelle King highlights growing tensions as Musk inserts his staff into federal agencies to reduce expenses and fight fraud. Although the administration contends that these measures are needed to eradicate wasteful spending, critics sound alarms about serious threats to privacy and overreach.

Social Security at the Center of Federal Overhaul

Social Security benefits account for roughly $1.5 trillion each year—a fifth of federal U.S. expenditures. President Donald Trump has promised not to reduce retirement benefits but has indicated that he is open to eliminating waste and improper payments.

A 2023 SSA audit found that from 2015 to 2022, the agency paid $8.6 trillion in benefits, with approximately $71.8 billion—less than 1%—in improper payments. This figure prompted Musk’s team to seek deeper access to internal records, raising fears over potential misuse of private data.

Musk’s Team Seeks Access to Americans’ Private Information

Inside sources say Musk’s representatives in the SSA were seeking access to a database full of sensitive personal and financial information about millions of Americans. It includes bank accounts, work histories, and addresses for anyone with a Social Security number.

“S.S.A. has detailed medical records of individuals who have sought disability benefits,” explained Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works. “It has our bank data, our work records, the names and ages of our children, and so much more.”

Altman cautioned about the possible repercussions, saying, “There is no way to overstate how serious a breach this is.”

Uncertainty Over Musk’s Team’s Access

The degree to which Musk’s staff was granted access is unknown. It is unknown how many of his representatives asked for access, if they were successful, or if they were given full employment status at the SSA.

Michelle King, who has been with the SSA since 1994, had climbed the ranks to deputy commissioner for operations and then chief financial officer. Her abrupt exit comes after reports of mounting internal pressure to follow Musk’s orders.

New Leadership and Internal Turmoil

After King’s resignation, career staffer Leland Dudek was named acting commissioner. Dudek had once managed the agency’s anti-fraud office and had spoken highly of Musk’s team’s work before shutting down his LinkedIn account.

In the meantime, the Senate still has not confirmed Trump’s choice to head the SSA, Frank Bisignano, a fintech executive with a reputation for his digital payment work. The White House has been optimistic about his confirmation.

“Meanwhile, the agency will be headed by a career Social Security anti-fraud specialist as acting commissioner,” White House press secretary Harrison Fields said. “President Trump is dedicated to appointing the finest and most competent individuals who are committed to working on behalf of the American people, not to satisfy the bureaucracy that has failed them for too long.”

Musk Expands Efforts to Other Federal Agencies

Musk’s push for data access is not just at the SSA. His group is also pushing for access to sensitive documents at the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This weekend, the White House confirmed that Musk’s group is obtaining access to the IRS’s information on taxpayers.

Earlier this year, career civil servant David Lebryk was ousted from the Treasury Department after he pushed back against Musk’s team’s efforts to take over the Bureau of the Fiscal Service’s government payment system.

Musk’s Unverified Claims About Social Security Fraud

Speaking at the White House last week, Musk asserted—without documentation—that a quick review of SSA records revealed that individuals registered as being 150 years old were also still receiving checks. On Saturday, he uploaded an image to X, allegedly from a Social Security database, that appeared to indicate that people who had died were still receiving payments.

But Martin O’Malley, then the head of the SSA in the Biden administration, denied this, saying, “They’re just making things up.”