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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Martin Pengelly in Washington

Doge takeover of social security seemed ‘based on myth’, says ex-senior official

a building with the US flag flying outside
The Arthur J Altmeyer Social Security Administration building at the agency's headquarters in Woodlawn, Maryland, in February 2025. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

A former chief of staff at the US Social Security Administration (SSA) described how agents of the so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) – Elon Musk’s government cost-cutting operation – were imposed on the agency, assailing senior staff with questions “based on the general myth of supposed widespread fraud” and acting with dangerous disregard for data confidentiality.

In a declaration filed with a lawsuit on Friday and referring to the Doge agents Mike Russo and Akash Bobba, Tiffany Flick said: “We proposed briefings to help Mr Russo and Mr Bobba understand the many measures the agency takes to help ensure the accuracy of benefit payments, including those measures that help ensure we are not paying benefits to deceased individuals.

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