Michelle King, head of the US Social Security Administration (SSA), has stepped down following a dispute with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
According to NBC, King resigned this weekend after refusing DOGE’s request to access sensitive government records at the Social Security Administration.
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields confirmed her resignation, stating:
“President Trump has nominated the highly qualified and talented Frank Bisignano to lead the Social Security Administration, and we expect him to be swiftly confirmed in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the agency will be led by a career Social Security anti-fraud expert as the acting commissioner.”
He further added:
“President Trump is committed to appointing the best and most qualified individuals who are dedicated to working on behalf of the American people, not to appease the bureaucracy that has failed them for far too long.”
Dispute Over Data Access and Reactions
Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, told NBC that King was removed because she refused to grant access to sensitive information.
“This was a White House decision to replace her with someone who would allow access to the data,” Altman revealed.
In response, Trump appointed Leland Dudek, a Social Security anti-fraud manager, as the acting commissioner for now.
