'Time to think of Plan B': Musk ripped after forcing out Social Security chief

17 February

Elon Musk reacts, on the day he meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Blair House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 13, 2025.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's representatives have reportedly clashed with the acting head of the Social Security Agency (SSA) over sensitive data she apparently refused to give over to the centabillionaire's team.

That's according to a Washington Post article published Monday night, which reported that acting Social Security commissioner Michelle King resigned after Musk — who leads the "Department of Government Efficiency," or DOGE (which is not yet a Congressionally authorized federal agency) —sought access to "sensitive government records." Leland Dudek, from the agency's anti-fraud office, has been named acting commissioner in King's place while commissioner-designate Frank Bisigano awaits his confirmation vote in the U.S. Senate.

"There is no way to overstate how serious a breach this is," said Nancy Altman, who is president of the advocacy group Social Security Works. Altman said that while details remain murky, she cited officials within the agency who told her that Musk's team "wanted access to SSA’s sensitive files — the same way they’re trying to do at Labor and Treasury — and the acting commissioner wouldn’t give it, and she was replaced."

"At this rate, they will break it. And they will break it fast, and there will be an interruption of benefits," former SSA Commissioner Martin O'Malley told the Post. He also grimly noted that Dudek — who had praised DOGE's efforts in the past – was elevated to the acting role over other more senior officials within the agency.

“It’s a shame the chilling effect it has to disregard 120 senior executive service people,” O’Malley continued. “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.”

On Bluesky, Tufts University political science professor Daniel Drezner warned: "This will end badly for everyone." University of Michigan policy professor Don Moynihan also sounded the alarm, pointing out that Musk "has your social security and your banking information." Talking Points Memo founder Josh Marshall told his followers that "Elon's boys are in the house" and that "it might be time to think of Plan B if you're on Social Security."

"Good God. It's a coup," former journalist Ali Adair wrote.

While DOGE's mission is ostensibly to cut down on fraudulent spending within federal agencies, conservative columnist Bill Kristol wasn't buying it. He wrote on Bluesky that if anyone believes the South African billionaire "wants all this data in order to root out fraud and marginally improve government efficiency, I have several bridges to sell you." Democratic strategist David Goodman lamented Michelle King's resignation, and opined other government employees should instead seek to resist within the capacity of their official positions.

"Leaving and refusing to fight is just as bad as handing over the data," he wrote. "You don't beat the Nazis by leaving. You beat them by fighting."

The news of DOGE accessing Social Security information comes as the billionaire's employees are aiming to obtain similar access to the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) systems. Some IRS agents expressed concern to the Post's Jacob Bogage that Musk and President Donald Trump could use taxpayers' sensitive personal data to carry out retribution against Trump's political opponents.

Click here to read the Post's article in full (subscription required).

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