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By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
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The Social Security Administration has announced it will impose stronger identity verification procedures in an effort to limit fraudulent claims.
From March 31, people will no longer be able to verify their identity to the SSA over the phone. Those who cannot verify their identity over the SSA's online service will be required to visit an agency field office in person to complete the verification process, the agency said in a news release on Tuesday. The change will apply to new applicants and existing recipients who want to change their direct deposit information.
Advocates have warned that the changes will make it harder for older Americans, including those who are disabled or have mobility issues or live far from SSA offices, to collect their benefits.
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It comes as the SSA has shuttered offices across the country and plans to cut thousands of employees as part of an effort by the Trump administration and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to slash the federal workforce. Some experts have warned that the cost-cutting measures could disrupt benefit payments to millions of Americans.
Newsweek has contacted the SSA for comment via email.
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Pentagon To Cut Up to 60,000 Jobs
The Pentagon is planning to cut its civilian workforce by about 50,000 to 60,000 people, The Associated Press reported, citing a senior defense official.
The official told reporters on Tuesday that the Pentagon aims to cut about 6,000 positions a month by not replacing workers who routinely leave to reach the goal of cutting 5 to 8 percent of the civilian workforce.
The department is also using voluntary resignations and firing probationary workers to accomplish the cuts.
What Contracts Did DOGE Cut Today?
DOGE said it canceled 47 contacts with a "ceiling value" of $185 million on Tuesday. The elimination of the contracts represents savings of about $90 million, according to a DOGE post on X.
The post said the terminated contracts include one worth $3.1 million for "healthy relationships social media presence."
How Many Jobs Has DOGE Cut So Far?
Tens of thousands of job losses have been announced across numerous federal agencies.
The Environmental Protection Agency plans to eliminate its scientific research office and could fire more than 1,000 scientists and other employees, the AP reported on Tuesday.
Last week, it was reported that the Internal Revenue Service plans to lose about 18,000 employees, or about 20 percent of its workforce. Meanwhile, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told Congress that 10,000 workers at the United States Postal Service would be cut within a month.
The Department of Education last week announced plans to lay off more than 1,300 employees, while the Department of Veterans Affairs is planning a reorganization that includes cutting 80,000 jobs, according to an internal memo obtained by the AP this month.
At least 24,000 probationary workers have been terminated since Trump took office, according to a lawsuit filed by nearly 20 states alleging the mass firings are illegal. Last week, two federal judges ordered 19 federal agencies to reinstate probationary workers who were fired.
Meanwhile, about 75,000 federal workers accepted the offer to quit in return for receiving pay and benefits until September 30.
How Much Spending Has DOGE Cut So Far?
DOGE has said its efforts have saved the federal government an estimated $115 billion as of March 11—just a tiny fraction of Musk's $1 trillion cost-cutting goal.
DOGE says the receipts provided on its website—showing contract, grant, and lease cancellations—represent about 30 percent of total savings, meaning the top-line figure is not yet verifiable.
According to the Musk Watch DOGE Tracker designed by data analyst Brian Banks, the verifiable savings, as of March 11, are about $8.6 billion.
Is DOGE a Government Agency?
Trump signed an executive order on his first day back in office on January 20, officially creating DOGE to modernize "federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity."
Despite its name, it is not a government agency created by an act of Congress but a task force charged with targeting waste and fraud in the federal government.
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