Social Security Gutted: 3-Hour Wait Times, Offices Closed
SSA lost 6,645 workers (11% of staff), phone wait times exceeded 3 hours, and 47 field offices were targeted for closure. Pending retirement claims nearly doubled to 600,000. Disability processing times hit 8 months.
The Trump administration forced the Social Security Administration through its largest staff cut in history, losing 6,645 workers — over 11% of staff — by November 2025. DOGE announced plans to close 47 field offices across 24 states (later reduced to 23).
The impact on Americans relying on Social Security was severe:
- Phone wait times exceeded 3 hours
- Disability claim processing times reached 8 months for initial decisions
- Pending retirement claims nearly doubled from 350,000 to 600,000 by May 2025
- Field offices that remained open were understaffed and overwhelmed
The administration also prepared a proposed rule that could have reduced Social Security Disability Insurance qualifying applicants by 20% — which would have been the largest cut in disability insurance history. The rule was shelved after public backlash.
Meanwhile, DOGE workers at SSA violated internal policies, copied 300 million Americans' records without security protocols, and circumvented a court temporary restraining order. The systematic degradation of Social Security — the most popular government program in America — threatened the retirement security of millions of elderly and disabled Americans.