Jessica Corbett is a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams.
Critics of the Department of Government Efficiency are sounding the alarm after the Washington Post reported Tuesday that the Social Security Administration's inspector general is investigating a whistleblower complaint accusing a former DOGE staffer of trying to share information from SSA databases with his private employer.
The Post didn't name the former DOGE software engineer, the company, or the whistleblower. However, the reporters spoke with the whistleblower and other unnamed sources, and also reviewed the related complaint as well as a letter from the acting inspector general to top members of four congressional committees.The ex-DOGE staffer allegedly told multiple colleagues that he possessed two key databases of sensitive information on over 500 million living and dead US citizens, 'Numident' and the 'Master Death File,' and once he removed personal details, he wanted to plug the remaining data into his company's system.The newspaper noted that 'the complaint does not allege that the engineer was successful in uploading the data to the company's system,' and 'a lawyer who represents the former DOGE member told the Post he denied all alleged wrongdoing.'The reporting adds to a long list of concerns and criticism provoked by DOGE, which President Donald Trump launched shortly after taking office. Billionaire Elon Musk was the de facto leader of the government-gutting initiative until he departed the administration last May.Responding to the report on Musk's social media platform X, Congressman John Larson , a longtime defender of Social Security, declared that 'we need a full congressional investigation and answers!'House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Robert Garcia announced that he is expanding his investigation of DOGE-related data leaks at the SSA over the allegations. He said in a statement that 'the deeply disturbing whistleblower information obtained by the committee shows the Trump administration's callous disregard for the safety and security of Americans' most sensitive information.''Not only has an ex-DOGE bro been accused of running around with the social security information of every American on a flash drive, he also may have the ability to edit and manipulate data at the Social Security Administration at will,' Garcia continued. 'This is dangerous and outrageous, and Oversight Committee Democrats will fight for transparency and accountability.'Richard Fiesta, executive director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, similarly said: 'Allegations that a 'DOGE bro' may have removed highly sensitive Social Security data onto a thumb drive should set off alarm bells across the country. Social Security holds some of the most personal information Americans have, including Social Security numbers, birth and health records, and lifetime earnings histories. If these reports are accurate, it is a stunning, illegal data security breach.''Americans deserve timely, honest answers about what happened, whose information may have been exposed, what will be done to protect them going forward,' he argued. 'Anyone involved must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Congress and the Social Security inspector general must move quickly to get the facts and ensure that all involved in this reported data breach are punished.'Criminal theft of the American people's private Social Security data.— Social Security Works March 10, 2026 at 2:51 PMPublic Citizen co-president Lisa Gilbert also demanded accountability. She said that 'this massive, illegal, and horrific breach of Americans' most sensitive data has confirmed the very fears we've been warning about for over a year—that the Trump administration allowing DOGE to infiltrate our government without oversight created fertile ground for abuse, and in this case of an exceptionally egregious kind.''These are the kinds of breaches that Public Citizen had previously sued the government to prevent,' she added. 'Federal and state officials must ensure the misuse of this data ends immediately and that all private copies of Social Security data are destroyed. Prosecutors should open a criminal investigation immediately and, if the evidence supports it, prosecute this case aggressively.'
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