Social Security Administration shutters multiple offices after anti-DOGE head quits

The Social Security Administration closed two offices this week after the former acting head of the agency resisted the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) attempt to probe SSA’s books.The closure of SSA’s Office of Transformation and the Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity comes as DOGE staffers are now embedded within the agency, following the resignation of former acting commissioner Michelle King, a career federal worker who resigned last week over a disagreement with DOGE’s efforts to access sensitive government records.“President Trump has mandated the Federal government eliminate wasteful and inefficient offices and the Office of Transformation was a prime example,” Lee Dudek, the new acting commissioner of SSA, said in a statement.“This redundant office was created under the previous administration and we are righting that wrong.”The Office of Transformation, shuttered on Monday, was responsible for “strategic guidance and oversight of enterprise-wide initiatives, addressing policies, business processes, and systems,” according to SSA’s website. The Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity, which provided “overall management of the SSA-wide programs of civil rights, equal employment opportunity, harassment prevention, reasonable accommodations, and disability services,” was closed Tuesday for similar reasons. “Our focus is supporting President Trump’s priorities, which include streamlining functions and prioritizing essential work,” Dudek said in a statement.

“Terminating the Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity, and reassigning statutory responsibilities performed by this office, advances the President’s goal to make all of government more efficient in serving the American public.”Federal employees in both offices have been placed on administrative leave, according to SSA. The Baltimore Banner reports that about 200 employees were working in both offices and that some 140 people in the Offi...