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The former head of the Social Security istration (SSA) is issuing a dire warning-proposed cuts to the agency could cripple operations and disrupt payments to millions of Americans within the next three months.
In an interview with CNBC, Martin O'Malley, who served as Social Security commissioner under the Biden istration, did not mince words about the potential consequences.
"Ultimately, you're going to see the system collapse, and there will be an interruption of benefits," O'Malley said. "I think that will happen within the next 30 to 90 days."
He urged Americans to start saving now in preparation for potential delays in benefits.
At the heart of the crisis is a sweeping restructuring effort led by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has already begun reducing staffing and closing SSA offices nationwide.
According to O'Malley, these changes have created chaos within the agency, jeopardizing the ability to process benefits efficiently.
More than 72.5 million Americans rely on Social Security payments, with nearly 90% of seniors depending on the program for income. Since its inception, the SSA has never missed a payment in over 80 years-an unbroken record now at risk.
The scope of the cuts
As part of Musk's government-slashing initiative, the SSA recently informed employees of "significant workforce reductions" through a buyout program, with a March 14 deadline before formal layoffs begin.
A source told the Associated Press that up to 50 percent of SSA's workforce could be cut-though the agency later refuted that figure, stating it aimed to reduce staff from 57,000 to 50,000 employees.
In addition to the layoffs, DOGE also plans to shut down 45 SSA offices by simply allowing leases to expire, further restricting access to in-person services for millions of Americans.
The proposed cuts have sparked intense political pushback, with Democratic leaders warning of severe consequences if Social Security operations are disrupted.
"People are going to start bringing a lot of heat to of Congress who have been enabling the destruction of Social Security and the interruption of earned benefits," O'Malley predicted.