After Trump's DOGE action, 300 million people's Social Security data is at risk, whistleblower says

A whistleblower disclosure to the special counsel alleges Department of Government Efficiency officials uploaded Social Security data for more than 300 million Americans to a cloud account not subject to oversight. The whistleblower, Charles Borges, said the potentially exposed data includes health diagnoses, income, banking details, familial relationships and personal biographic information. The disclosure warned that access by bad actors could enable widespread identity theft, disrupt healthcare and food benefits, and potentially force re-issuance of Social Security numbers at great cost. The complaint was filed by the Government Accountability Project and addressed to congressional oversight lawmakers.

More than 300 million Americans' Social Security data was put at risk after Department of Government Efficiency officials uploaded sensitive information to a cloud account not subject to oversight, according to a whistleblower disclosure submitted to the special counsel's office Tuesday. Whistleblower Charles Borges, who worked as the chief data officer at the Social Security Administration since January, said the potential sensitive information that risks being released includes health diagnoses, income, banking information, familial relationships and personal biographic data.

Should bad actors gain access to this cloud environment, Americans may be susceptible to widespread identity theft, may lose vital healthcare and food benefits, and the government may be responsible for re-issuing every American a new Social Security Number at great cost, said the complaint. The complaint was submitted by the Government Accountability Project and addressed to House and Senate oversight lawmakers.

Labor and retiree groups sued SSA earlier this year for allowing DOGE to access Americans' sensitive agency data, though a divided appeals panel decided this month that DOGE could access the information. SSA said in a statement that it takes whistleblower complaints seriously but seemed to downplay Borges' accusations. SSA stores all personal data in secure environments that have robust safeguards in place to protect vital information.

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