7,000 US social security employees to lose jobs

WASHINGTON: The United States government agency that provides benefits to tens of millions of older Americans plans to cut 7,000 workers, it announced on Friday, as part of the Trump administration's plan to slash the size of the federal workforce.

The Social Security Administration (SSA), which sends checks to 73 million retired and disabled Americans each month, said in a statement it is going to reduce its workforce by more than 12%.

"The agency plans to reduce the size of its bloated workforce and organisational structure, with a significant focus on functions and employees who do not directly provide mission-critical services," the SSA said.

"Social Security recently set a staffing target of 50,000, down from the current level of approximately 57,000 employees."

The agency also said it will close down many of its regional offices, from 10 to four.

The agency is seen as a crucial provider of benefits to elderly Americans and their pensions, and one of few government departments traditionally seen as off limits for cuts by US politicians.

US President Donald Trump repeatedly pledged when he campaigned for re-election to the White House that he would not touch Social Security when it came to his plans to cut government spending.

The White House and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Friday two dozen senior staff members at SSA resigned from the agency, according to a memo written by Leland Dudek, the agency's acting commissioner, a copy of which was seen by Reuters.

Dudek took over SSA after Michelle King, the previous acting commissioner, stepped down over her concerns about members of billionaire Elon Musk's DOGE getting access to SSA's computer systems, which contain the personal data of tens of millions of Americans.

The Trump administration and DOGE have downsized more than 100,000 of the federal government's 2.3 million civilian workers through a combination of layoffs and buyouts.

President Trump and Musk say the government is bloated and wasteful.