The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), established in 2025 under President Donald Trump and led by Elon Musk, has implemented spending cuts at several federal agencies.
The Social Security Administration (SSA), which is responsible for distributing benefits to older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income families, is among those most affected.
Although benefit amounts have not changed, operational changes—such as staff cuts and office closures—may cause delays in access to these resources, directly affecting hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries across the United States, including those receiving Social Security and SNAP benefits.
Specific cuts to the SSA, ordered by DOGE
According to recent data, DOGE intends to eliminate 7,000 jobs at SSA, accounting for 12% of its workforce. In addition, 15 local offices in rural and urban areas have been closed, with another 10 scheduled to close by the end of 2025.
These cuts include the elimination of telephone services for updating direct deposit data, which complicates the process for beneficiaries who do not have internet access.
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, more than 80% of seniors in the United States rely on SSA benefits, with 60% receiving more than half of their income.
Delays in processing applications, particularly for disability benefits, which can take up to two years, may exacerbate food and financial insecurity in low-income households.
According to a March 13 report, rural families and families with disabled members will be the most affected because their purchasing power will be severely impacted immediately and in the long run if benefits are not distributed correctly and on time, and if no cuts are made.
Cuts to Social Security: how popular are they?
While former Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O’Malley warns of a “system collapse” within 90 days due to a lack of trained personnel, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defends the cuts as a step to “eradicate waste and modernize services” (Axios, March 13). Organizations like Social Security Works argue that these policies “weaken the social safety net.”
According to data published in American media on March 8, the Social Security Administration has reduced its phone hours to four hours per day in 20 states. This affects beneficiaries who need help processing claims or updating information.
According to an Urban Institute study, in rural areas, where 35% of offices have closed since 2023, users must travel up to 150 km to access in-person services, implying that these cuts began with the Joe Biden administration and are being exacerbated by Trump.
SNAP benefits would also be affected
The cuts have an impact on related programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and housing subsidies.
As Business Insider reported on March 1, remaining SSA employees have taken on additional responsibilities, increasing wait times to resolve interagency cases. This could delay the delivery of combined benefits, which are critical for families earning less than $30,000 per year.
On February 11, Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen introduced legislation to stop cuts to the Social Security Administration, claiming that they “put millions of Americans at risk.” Simultaneously, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is preparing a lawsuit against DOGE for alleged violations of the Equal Access to Public Services Act, which requires the preservation of operational channels of care for vulnerable populations.
DOGE has pushed for the migration of procedures to digital platforms as a compensatory measure. However, a Pew Research Center report (from 2024) shows that 27% of older adults do not use the internet, and 40% of rural families have limited access. For them, digitalization does not supplant personalized attention.
The Brookings Institution estimates that benefit delays could reduce GDP by up to 0.4% in 2026 by reducing consumption in low-income households. They would also increase reliance on state emergency programs, which are estimated to cost more than $2.5 billion per year by March 2025, according to a McKinsey & Company analysis.
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