Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said the Trump administration is "fudging the numbers" on how long Americans wait for help from Social Security, pointing to her office's findings and to recent reporting that refute the agency's rosy claims.
Warren's Cites Social Security Administration’s Contradictory Wait Metrics
In an X post on Tuesday, Warren wrote, "The Trump administration is LYING about how long people are stuck waiting for help with their Social Security benefits. I pressed the Social Security Commissioner and got him to agree to an independent investigation. Instead of fudging the numbers, do your job and help people."
Warren referenced a CNN analysis reporting that while Commissioner Frank Bisignano touted an eight-minute average "speed of answer" in July, other metrics told a different story. Average hold time of 22 minutes and average callback wait of 59 minutes, according to figures provided to the publication by the Social Security Administration. The piece also noted Warren met with Bisignano last month to press for accurate, publicly posted data.
Recent Data Dispels Agency's Wait Claims
A June phone survey conducted by Warren's office found callers waited an average of 102 minutes, with many calls disconnecting while staffers were still on hold, according to her office.
Social Security's national 800 number has long drawn complaints. It fields tens of millions of calls a year. Even the agency's acting commissioner acknowledged earlier this year at an operational meeting that "we suck on the telephone," highlighting persistent service problems.
New Commissioner Promises Fixes, Warren Presses Oversight
Bisignano, a longtime payments executive who led Fiserv before taking the helm at Social Security, was sworn in May 7 and has promised quick improvements to phone service, including shifting staff to the 800 line and expanding technology such as callbacks and automation.
Warren has pressed the agency for months to improve access and transparency. She and other senators recently warned that redeploying field-office workers to shorten phone waits risks "a terrible tradeoff" that worsens in-person service.
She has also raised alarms about policy changes that could force millions of additional office visits each year and burden older adults who rely on phone help.
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