March 12, 2025
Retirees Outraged at Possible End to Social Security Telephone Services
Washington, D.C. — Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, issued the following statement in response to a Washington Post report that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is considering “ending telephone services” for claims processing and direct deposit transactions that is used by millions of elderly and disabled Americans after pressure from the DOGE team:
“President Trump and Elon Musk are deliberately attempting to dismantle Social Security and undermine the benefits that millions of Americans have worked their entire lives to earn.”
“For the 70 million seniors, survivors, and people with disabilities who receive Social Security every month, access to Social Security services by telephone is essential. Thousands of Americans rely on these phone services every day to file claims, get critical information, and manage their benefits. Forcing beneficiaries to visit field offices—which are already understaffed and being closed—or navigate an online-only system will create unnecessary barriers and hardships for those who need assistance the most.”
“This proposal is not only reckless—it’s cruel. Anyone who has ever tried to assist an elderly relative with their computer, struggled to get an AI chatbot to understand a complicated issue, or helped someone with a disability or serious medical condition travel knows how damaging this change would be.”
“The 4.4 million members of the Alliance will hold President Trump and Congress accountable. Our members will let them know face to face, online, and everywhere else we can make our voices heard that they must protect Social Security. It’s time for any politician who has ever said that they care about Social Security to act now before the system is irreparably harmed.”
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Contact: Lisa Cutler at lcutler@retiredamericans.org
