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 fear-mongering 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.
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.
Reprinted with permission from Washington Examiner by Frank J. Bisignano.
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
Praise for you Mr. Bisignano for writing this article that helps in understanding what the Social Security Administration is all about. This is a matter of significant importance. It goes beyond the financial aspects of Social Security – it has to do with the Golden Rule actually – I am referring to the situation whereby people who have been of good character and contributed to the well being of the United States of America when they were younger and not burdened by the difficulties of old age are treated . Those who understand the principles of Faith, Family and Freedom – the idea of Respect and the idea of Loyalty should be considered There is always a need to understand complex circumstances so that fairness is applied . .
Every federal agency needs to counter any false claims made by radical leftists. The media lies every day about what President Trump is doing so much to make the U.S. a great country. Thank you for this article which tells the truth about Social Security.
The democrats criticize what they created. The conservatives fix it and the democrats tear it down. They can’t have that the seniors are being treated humanely. They like to leave them guessing. Plus they have a duty to die. Will SS be here next year? It’s a form
of control over the seniors. That is why they have no plans or policies to save SS. Make improvements like the current director made. They want it to fail. To then come to the rescue so that the people will vote for them. That was the whole Obama presidency and Biden regime perfected it because we never had a president or VP capable of running this country. The Autopen ruled and the deep state made the policies. Which was overthrowing the republicans and incarcerating Trump on made up charges. The power grab was interrupted when Trump 45 was elected. But continued in 2021 with the coup Pelosi set up at the capitol. Only she failed and then to deflect from her they turned onto Trump again. And lies and innuendo and later threats were heaped on the RNC, MAGA and Trump. The coup continues to this day. That is why O’Malley wrote this article to undermine SS and the current director. Another communist tactic to have power. Only they are not succeeding. President Trump keeps an eye on everything and demands results.
Yes, Trump is keeping his promises, and SS really is easier to use now. But it absolutely amazes me how many people really don’t understand! I think Trump really needs to get better at explaining his policies to people so they understand the long term affects; i.e. social security tax changes, effects of tariffs, effects of illegal alien deportations, what would have happened if his first term tax cuts were to expire, etc, etc.
The media lies about social security taxes and too many people believe them. No, SS taxes were not eliminated. But the new 6,000 dollar deduction provided in the BBB, ON TOP of the regular standard deduction, will effectively remove the tax burden for most, but not all, of SS recipients. So just explain it that way! Allow people to understand and know the truth about how this stuff works. Same with everything else; explain your policies in simple terms that everyone understands. I don’t care about your opinion of Rob Reiner. I don’t care about Sequon Barkley’s golf game. I want you to explain your policies so people understand them, and stop the media lies! Your policies aren’t the problem; it’s the understanding of some of them that needs to be explained. Don’t let the media and the democrats steal the mid terms with their lies and deception… please get better at helping people understand what your intentions are.
Back to the Democrat grab bag of things to whine about. Republicans are going to take away your health care and they’re going to take away your social security. In the meantime Democrats are driving your health care and taxing you to death. When Trump gave the average American citizen money back on their taxes with their with his Great Big beautiful Bill the Democrats are grabbing it again in blue States by adding those save taxes back into state taxes. Because it’s not your money it belongs to the government don’t you ever forget it
It is so disturbing and disappointing that news like this is never mentioned in the MSM! What can we do to get the word out?
So many young and middle age will never think about searching for unbiased news, because that is all they have ever heard and read.
It took a long time for this Grandma to start searching for Truth, especially when all we were being fed FEAR, FEAR AND MORE FEAR.
That unfortunately is the negative mantra of TV, Movies and the news media and now one unfavored political party.
I sure miss the news and weather that carried us in the 40’s through 60’s!
The downfall was in the 70’s with the Women’s Lib and Anti-Viet-Nam hatred and the lack of patriotism, even compassion for our fallen and maimed young men and women!
That is great news…. but I am tired of hearing the half-truth that there will be no tax on social security benefits. Some folks will receive a deduction others will not. Typical Washington misinformation.
Social Security funds were originally separate from the general fund until democrats moved that money into the general fund and used it for other things. That needs to be rectified, and the monies that have been stolen from Social Security need to be repaid.
Seniors were promised ‘No Tax on Social Security’. This is not the case! The rules for up to 85% of Social Security being taxed have not changed!
Here’s the only change for Seniors per Jackson Hewitt::
“The new senior deduction allows eligible seniors and their spouses who are 65 or older to deduct up to $6,000 each from their taxable income for tax years 2025 through 2028. There are adjusted gross income limits to this deduction. It is only available to single filers making less than $75,000 or couples making less than $150,000.”
Pundits, RINOS and dems are cut of the same cloth. They are sneaky traitors
I got a “cost of living” increase of $34.
My Medicare went up $17.
We are NOT customers! We are citizens who have had money removed from our income stream for decades, in many cases, with the promise that OUR GOVERNMENT would see to it that that money would be kept safe and available to be doled-out in a “fair” and honest payment monthly as long as we had “qualified”! Instead we find out through DOGE the astronomical numbers of fraudulent claims paid to people who are dead, over 120 years old or just simply lying! Surely, we can find enough competent people to do a better job of prevent waste and fraud and get the courts to punish the criminals committing these crimes! Our Congress is so corrupt, does our Executive Branch have to so a
I’m not sure I will need to avail myself of the digital plan, but happy for the quick service this will give to those who do prefer it.As for the tax consequences I am happy to wait and see.
CUT more SS bureacracy
Merge Ops
Streamline online services
Make plain Reading
Less legalese
Link to Medicare
Expand LT Care
I still will not sign up online.
I am glad that the SSA is being handled correctly and making it better, ( there is always a but) HAVE YOU STOP PAYING MONEY OUT TO DEAD PEOPLE AND OVER THE AGE OF 100+? That is what is causing SS to go bankrupt.
Please calculate the payments made for each cheater times the amount of years they received that money and give us the amount that was stolen for real American Seniors!
To correct this wrong and pay back all the stolen money, ( TAKE THE THIEVES BANK ACCOUNTS, SELL THEIR HOUSE & CARS, ECT.) PUT IT BACK INTO THE SS ACCOUNT!
THIS IS WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT, NOT MORE TAKE!
The local SSA offices need to be allowed to talk truthfully with customers. You get a different answer each time you ask. They say they are not allowed to give out information. But you can hire an Attorney for the elderly, who normally has worked for SSA, and know the tricks. These attorneys know the ins and outs of the process, that SSA employees are not allowed to share.
More training and transparency is needed.
It has been know for decades that the CPI is a poor measurement of inflation. The use of CPI should be discontinued and one of the other more accurate indices adopted.
Trump lies when he state ‘No tax on social security, it should be tax reduction for some but not all.
I do not see how Trump has helped preserve Social Securtty in any area this year. If anything, if he gets his way in future years to eliminate taxes on SS benefits then it will decrease the present estimated life of the benefits. Social Security benefits are the most important source of income for millions of Americans & Congress needs to act now before the rubber hits the road in 2034. At least, Trump has not proposed the same agenda that he was pushing in 2019. Elon Musk called SS the worst ponzi scheme ever and I do not remember Trump commenting on that.
Although I have a online account I have not needed to use it as the current management has been more consistent on benefits paid and I have not had a need to contact the SsA as I did in years past
Keep up the good work!
PARTISAN pundits? WRONG?! Say it isn’t so…