People step into an office of the Social Security Administration in New York on October 31, 2025.
'Sounds Like Another Way' to Cut Benefits as Trump Social Security Chief Aims to Slash Office Visits
The Social Security Administration's plan, warned one Senate Democrat, will likely lead to "worse service and more challenges."
The Trump administration is reportedly looking to dramatically reduce the number of people who visit Social Security field offices across the United States, a plan that Democratic lawmakers warned is yet another scheme to disrupt and ultimately cut benefits.
Nextgov/FCW viewed internal Social Security Administration (SSA) planning documents showing that the agency is aiming for "no more than 15 million total" in-person visits to field offices in fiscal year 2026—half the level of the prior fiscal year.
"Under Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano, the agency is aiming to push people to interact with Social Security online instead of going to a field office or calling the agency, although Bisignano told lawmakers in June that, even with his focus on technology, the agency is not 'getting rid of field offices,' despite reports of planned closures," Nextgov/FCW reported Monday.
One anonymous SSA staffer told the outlet that agency leadership wants "fewer people in the front door and they want all work that doesn't require direct customer interactions to be centralized."
"They appear to be quietly killing field offices," the staffer said.
The plan comes after the Trump administration carried out the largest staffing cut in SSA history, cutting the agency's workforce by around 7,000. The cut left one SSA worker for every 1,480 beneficiaries, resulting in understaffed field offices and overwhelmed phone operations.
Beneficiaries have also repeatedly faced issues this year attempting to access the Social Security website, problems that SSA's plan to curb field office visits could exacerbate.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), one of the lawmakers spearheading a probe into Bisignano's questionable tenure at the fintech company Fiserv, said in response to the new reporting that "this sure sounds like another way to make it even harder for Americans to get the benefits they've earned."
In a social media post on Monday, Warren highlighted testimony from seniors who have faced long wait times and other difficulties while seeking assistance from SSA under Bisignano's leadership:
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, told Nextgov/FCW that "between staffing reductions, more restrictive documentation requirements for Americans to get assistance on the phones, and rapid reorganization of offices around the country, it’s difficult to see how" SSA's goal of slashing visits to field offices "will lead to anything other than worse service and more challenges at Social Security."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
The Trump administration is reportedly looking to dramatically reduce the number of people who visit Social Security field offices across the United States, a plan that Democratic lawmakers warned is yet another scheme to disrupt and ultimately cut benefits.
Nextgov/FCW viewed internal Social Security Administration (SSA) planning documents showing that the agency is aiming for "no more than 15 million total" in-person visits to field offices in fiscal year 2026—half the level of the prior fiscal year.
"Under Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano, the agency is aiming to push people to interact with Social Security online instead of going to a field office or calling the agency, although Bisignano told lawmakers in June that, even with his focus on technology, the agency is not 'getting rid of field offices,' despite reports of planned closures," Nextgov/FCW reported Monday.
One anonymous SSA staffer told the outlet that agency leadership wants "fewer people in the front door and they want all work that doesn't require direct customer interactions to be centralized."
"They appear to be quietly killing field offices," the staffer said.
The plan comes after the Trump administration carried out the largest staffing cut in SSA history, cutting the agency's workforce by around 7,000. The cut left one SSA worker for every 1,480 beneficiaries, resulting in understaffed field offices and overwhelmed phone operations.
Beneficiaries have also repeatedly faced issues this year attempting to access the Social Security website, problems that SSA's plan to curb field office visits could exacerbate.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), one of the lawmakers spearheading a probe into Bisignano's questionable tenure at the fintech company Fiserv, said in response to the new reporting that "this sure sounds like another way to make it even harder for Americans to get the benefits they've earned."
In a social media post on Monday, Warren highlighted testimony from seniors who have faced long wait times and other difficulties while seeking assistance from SSA under Bisignano's leadership:
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, told Nextgov/FCW that "between staffing reductions, more restrictive documentation requirements for Americans to get assistance on the phones, and rapid reorganization of offices around the country, it’s difficult to see how" SSA's goal of slashing visits to field offices "will lead to anything other than worse service and more challenges at Social Security."
The Trump administration is reportedly looking to dramatically reduce the number of people who visit Social Security field offices across the United States, a plan that Democratic lawmakers warned is yet another scheme to disrupt and ultimately cut benefits.
Nextgov/FCW viewed internal Social Security Administration (SSA) planning documents showing that the agency is aiming for "no more than 15 million total" in-person visits to field offices in fiscal year 2026—half the level of the prior fiscal year.
"Under Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano, the agency is aiming to push people to interact with Social Security online instead of going to a field office or calling the agency, although Bisignano told lawmakers in June that, even with his focus on technology, the agency is not 'getting rid of field offices,' despite reports of planned closures," Nextgov/FCW reported Monday.
One anonymous SSA staffer told the outlet that agency leadership wants "fewer people in the front door and they want all work that doesn't require direct customer interactions to be centralized."
"They appear to be quietly killing field offices," the staffer said.
The plan comes after the Trump administration carried out the largest staffing cut in SSA history, cutting the agency's workforce by around 7,000. The cut left one SSA worker for every 1,480 beneficiaries, resulting in understaffed field offices and overwhelmed phone operations.
Beneficiaries have also repeatedly faced issues this year attempting to access the Social Security website, problems that SSA's plan to curb field office visits could exacerbate.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), one of the lawmakers spearheading a probe into Bisignano's questionable tenure at the fintech company Fiserv, said in response to the new reporting that "this sure sounds like another way to make it even harder for Americans to get the benefits they've earned."
In a social media post on Monday, Warren highlighted testimony from seniors who have faced long wait times and other difficulties while seeking assistance from SSA under Bisignano's leadership:
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, told Nextgov/FCW that "between staffing reductions, more restrictive documentation requirements for Americans to get assistance on the phones, and rapid reorganization of offices around the country, it’s difficult to see how" SSA's goal of slashing visits to field offices "will lead to anything other than worse service and more challenges at Social Security."