Newly Confirmed Social Security Commissioner Faces Bipartisan Pressure Over DOGE Cuts

Fresh off his confirmation by the Senate on Tuesday to be the new commissioner of Social Security, Frank Bisignano faces a pile of oversight demands from Democrats and Republicans alike.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led a group of Democrats on a Wednesday letter to Bisignano noting his predecessor in charge of the Social Security Administration ignored their queries while overseeing dramatic upheavals at the agency.

“We are extraordinarily concerned about the future of the SSA under the Trump Administration, and Americans deserve information about the fate of their benefits under your watch,” the Senate Democrats wrote, attaching a stack of 17 other queries they’ve sent so far this year.

The Warren-led letter followed a similar message on Tuesday from a group of moderate House Republicans led by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.).

“Our constituents heavily rely on the services provided by our local SSA offices, the SSA website, and the SSA 1-800 number,” the Republicans wrote. “Specifically, we are concerned about the SSA implementing staffing cuts and ending leases of customer service centers.”

Bisignano’s not-so-enthusiastic bipartisan welcome to his new job shows the popularity of Social Security — which provides retirement and disability benefits to more than 70 million Americans — as well as the political risk President Donald Trump has taken by allowing Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency to make rapid changes at the agency.

Musk’s agents barged into the Social Security Administration, demanding access to sensitive payment systems and databases containing private information about practically everyone in America. The Trump administration picked Leland Dudek, a mid-level staffer and DOGE enthusiast, to serve as the agency’s acting commissioner. Dudek and DOGE pursued staff cuts and announced they would cancel several leases held by the agency, prompting howls of protest from both Democrats and Republicans.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who joined Warren on the Wednesday letter, accused Bisignano of lying during his confirmation hearing when he denied having contact with officials making decisions at Social Security. A whistleblower told Wyden in a written statement that Bisignano “frequently spoke with senior SSA executives and was personally briefed on key SSA operations, personnel and management decisions.”

One of Dudek’s most controversial moves was to disallow seniors and disabled people from filing claims over the phone, instead requiring them to travel to field offices to verify their identities. The Social Security Administration wound up backing off the changes in response to public pressure.

Democrats have made extra efforts to highlight the turmoil at the agency, including through an online “war room” and frequent press conferences and other public events.

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