The acting head of the Social Security Administration (SSA) has stepped down, reportedly over requests from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to access recipient data, multiple sources report.
Michelle King, the SSA’s acting commissioner, resigned over the weekend after more than 30 years of service, allegedly due to her refusal to provide DOGE staffers with sensitive Social Security information, according to the Associated Press.
In response, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields announced that President Trump has nominated Frank Bisignano, the CEO of financial software company Fiserv, to take over as SSA commissioner.
“We expect him to be swiftly confirmed in the coming weeks,” Fields stated, adding that the agency will be led by a career Social Security anti-fraud expert in the interim.
Trump, he said, remains committed to appointing "the best and most qualified" individuals, rather than catering to a bureaucracy that has failed Americans for too long.
King’s resignation is part of a broader pattern of high-ranking officials leaving federal agencies, as DOGE seeks access to sensitive data from multiple departments, including the IRS and Treasury Department.
President Trump has appointed Leland Dudek as acting commissioner, bypassing several higher-ranking senior executives, raising concerns among SSA employees.
“To pick an acting commissioner that is not in the senior executive service sends a message that professional people should leave that beleaguered public agency,” said Martin O’Malley, who led the SSA under the Biden administration, according to The Washington Post.
DOGE’s push for data access at the SSA has sparked alarm, as the agency holds sensitive personal information, including:
With 72.5 million Americans — including retirees, disabled individuals, and children — relying on Social Security benefits, any potential misuse of this data is a major concern.
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