At the Social Security Administration, we meet Americans at life’s turning points. Whether retiring, dealing with the loss of a loved one, or applying for disability benefits, the approximately 75 million Americans who receive monthly payments know they can rely on the SSA. Even amid a slew of recent political attacks and a historic government shutdown, we have remained determined to uphold President Donald Trump‘s pledge to protect and preserve Social Security for generations to come.
As the current SSA commissioner, I am leading a digital-first transformation at the agency to give every American better and faster service. The average speed of answer for the National 800 Number in November was nearly cut in half, with a higher percentage of calls being answered compared to last year under former Commissioner Martin O’Malley. The average wait time for visitors at field offices, with or without appointments, is also down from previous leadership. Under O’Malley, Americans could not manage their benefits online 24/7, as the website had a whopping 29 hours of weekly downtime. I quickly rectified that, and the SSA could have 800 million online transactions by the end of fiscal 2026 — a significant increase from O’Malley’s tenure.
Despite the overwhelming progress made under Trump’s leadership, O’Malley is hellbent on using his former title to scare the Americans who rely on benefits while blaming the Trump administration at any cost. The failed Democratic presidential candidate and Democratic National Committee chairman candidate recently shared his thoughts on Fox News Digital, spreading partisan fears on unfounded “agency plans” and misleading Americans about SSA customer service.
O’Malley has been wrong before, and he is wrong now.
O’Malley was wrong earlier this year when he warned that the Trump administration would cause an “interruption in benefits.” Not a single payment in the SSA’s 90-year history has ever been missed.
O’Malley was wrong when he said that efficiency efforts would push Social Security into “a total system collapse.” After cleaning up the mess he left behind, the SSA can serve more Americans at faster speeds.
O’Malley was wrong when he wrote that the SSA risked sensitive data. An investigation showed no evidence that the personal information of Americans has ever been accessed, leaked, hacked, or shared.
O’Malley was wrong when he blamed the SSA for the increased cost of living for American seniors. The affordability crisis began under the rampant Bidenflation of the previous administration, but Trump’s historic tax relief will enable the vast majority of seniors to keep more of their hard-earned Social Security benefits.
O’Malley was wrong when he mischaracterized the disability backlog. The all-time high of pending initial claims, 1.26 million, occurred under his watch. Since then, we have been able to lower the claims pending by over 25%.
O’Malley was wrong when he said that the SSA “robbed Americans of customer service and peace of mind.” We are improving the customer service experience for Americans, and nearly 90% of customers who receive service on our National 800 Number are satisfied with the service we provide.
O’Malley is wrong, and his motives are clear.
Although he urges everyone to put aside politics and “come together,” anyone who is sincerely worried about the well-being of the most vulnerable Americans would not be using his former title to wage a politically motivated fearmongering campaign. Moreover, inaccurately trashing the dedicated federal workforce that served under his “leadership” speaks volumes to his character. The public servants who fight to improve the lives of Americans deserve better than these outright lies. I am honored to work with them each and every day to serve the public.
TRUMP VS. THE DEMOCRATS ON THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS
My challenge to the 330 million Americans who rely on the SSA is simple: Read the facts, learn how we are making the agency work better, and don’t buy into the clickbait. Social Security publishes monthly updates to its “Performance” page so that people can see the improvements being made at the agency. For anyone with a Social Security number, I encourage you to create an online My Social Security account to manage your benefits personally.
As SSA commissioner, I know the importance of the work we do. The Trump administration is resolute in our mission to protect and preserve Social Security for generations to come. We undoubtedly have obstacles ahead, but we are making tremendous progress to bring Social Security into the digital age, improve customer service, and restore trust in the generational promise established over 90 years ago.
Frank J. Bisignano is commissioner of the Social Security Administration.
