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“President Trump will always protect Social Security,” according to an official White House statement last month. However, the Social Security Administration, along with other federal agencies, have become a prime target of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cost-cutting crusade since the president took office in January.

Now, the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis has published the first policy note in its new "Tracking the Retirement Crisis" series, an initiative aimed at examining and addressing the urgent challenges facing older Americans in retirement.

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“In just eight weeks, the trust that Social Security has built over the past 90 years may have been entirely undermined,” according to Schwartz Center’s new report, "Trump Can Rebuild Trust in Social Security By Reversing Layoffs and Office Closures Before it's Too Late.”

The report outlines the critical need for swift action from both Congress and the President to strengthen the program’s capacity before irreversible damage occurs. This is crucial to avoid negative impacts on families, communities, and the intergenerational promises we've made.

“To be clear, Trump and DOGE have not cut or delayed payments to date,” noted the report. “The Social Security Administration has not missed payments in its 89 years of existence.”

However, the report emphasizes three key steps to take immediately to restore the Social Security system:

  • Reverse recent layoffs:  Leland Dudek, the Acting Commissioner of SSA, “should reverse recent layoffs, including the dismissal of cybersecurity officers and thousands of experienced field representatives,” said the report. “There is a need to hire more workers to fully operationalize the SSA and reverse the general decline in staffing numbers.”
  • Cancel office closures: Dudek “must cancel planned field office closures and expand call center staffing to reduce wait times and restore public trust,” said the report. “The SSA payment system would benefit from a thorough, professional overhaul.”
  • Ensure proper funding: “Trust in Social Security took generations to build,” said the report. “It can be lost in a month.” Dudek, the Trump administration and Congress have a responsibility to stop the attacks and start to rebuild what has been eroded in just a few short weeks.

Related: Trump’s pick to lead Social Security pledges to ‘preserve and protect’ SSA, at Senate hearing

“If there is a positive aspect to be found in this attack on the nation’s most trusted public institution, it’s that there is a renewed and widespread appreciation for Social Security,” concludes the report. “Congress must rebuild trust, maintain and expand Social Security. Millions of lives depend on it.”

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Lynn Cavanaugh

Lynn Varacalli Cavanaugh is Senior Editor, Retirement at BenefitsPRO. Prior, she was editor-in-chief of the What's New in Benefits & Compensation newsletter. She has worked for major firms in the employee benefits space, Vanguard and Willis Towers Watson, as well as top media companies, including Condé Nast and American Media.