In response to the confirmation hearing of Trump’s nominee to lead the Social Security Administration, Frank Bisignano, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:

“Donald Trump is not hiding his plans to gut the Social Security Administration. After shuttering field offices, cutting phone lines, and forcing seniors to wait hours on end to sign up for benefits or get help, Trump is bringing in another Wall Street fat cat to finish the job. Make no mistake: Trump and his MAGA cronies will put Americans’ hard-earned benefits on the chopping block to line their own corrupt pockets and give tax handouts to billionaires.” 

NEW: Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Social Security Administration, Frank Bisignano, is gearing up to rip away Americans’ hard-earned benefits.

Sen. Bernie Sanders: “Why do you think the Social Security Administration is now closing down offices and laying off 7,000 employees? … Do you think it makes sense to lay off half the staff?” … 

Frank Bisignano: *Dodges*

Sen. Sanders: “When you have a system that is not working out, do you think it’s a great idea to lay off half the employees?” …

Bisignano: “Probably no.”

Sen. Ron Wyden: “Will you lock DOGE out of Social Security databases?”

Bisignano: *Refuses to answer question*

Sen. Wyden: “I would like that in writing that you will lock DOGE out of the Social Security databases.” … 

Bisignano: “I don’t know what ‘lock DOGE out of the Social Security’…”

Sen. Wyden: “Stop them. It’s got a pretty simple concept when you lock somebody out. You stop them.”

Trump and shadow president Elon Musk have moved to gut the Social Security Administration, threatening hard-earned benefits for millions of Americans amid a 50-year low on staffing.

Washington Post: “Long waits, waves of calls, website crashes: Social Security is breaking down”

Washington Post: “Social Security Administration leadership is under instruction to swiftly produce plans to cut its staff by half, according to two employees at the agency who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.”

Axios: “An internal memo from the Social Security Administration proposes changes to its phone service that could derail the benefits application process for many Americans. …

“The draft of the memo viewed by Axios says the proposed limitations will be ‘significant’ for those living in rural areas in particular.” …

NextGov: “Most of the Social Security Administration’s regional commissioners have decided to retire at the end of this week, following mysterious meetings with agency leaders about plans to slash its workforce.

“At least five of the eight regional commissioners whose offices oversee and support the agency’s frontline offices across the country are leaving, according to a source familiar with the agency and an SSA employee not authorized to speak on the record. …

“Their departures come amid rumors of impending staff cuts at SSA, where the workforce is already at a 50-year low and has toiled amid a customer service crisis born of lack of funding.”

Prospect: “The decision could target one of the government’s most prominent public-facing initiatives: SSA field offices, where seniors, people with disabilities, and survivors whose parents have died can sign up for benefits and get information.”

Trump has a record of trying to gut Social Security every year during his first term in office and is pledging cuts in a second term. 

Washington Post: “Trump proposals could drain Social Security in 6 years, budget group says”

Washington Post: “His avowed stance, however, is at odds with Trump’s own record as president: Each of his White House budget proposals included cuts to Social Security and Medicare programs.”

Vox: “Trump said he wouldn’t cut Medicaid, Social Security, and Medicare. His 2020 budget cuts all 3.”

National Review: “Speaking with CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump was asked whether he would cut entitlements at some point. ‘Will entitlements ever be on your plate?’ asked interviewer Joe Kernen. ‘At some point they will be,’ Trump responded. ‘At the right time, we will take a look at that. You know, that’s the easiest of all things [to cut].’”

Mediaite: “During a Fox News town hall, President Donald Trump promised to cut entitlements like Medicare and Social Security if he were to win a second term. … ‘But if you don’t cut something in entitlements, you will never really deal with the debt,’ town hall co-moderator Martha MacCallum interjected, alluding to social safety programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. ‘Oh, we’ll be cutting,’ Trump rushed to confirm.”

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