The claim that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under Donald Trump, would close 47 Social Security Administration (SSA) offices circulated on social media in March 2025. The information emerged following an executive order by Trump to reduce the federal workforce, but official data revealed nuances not initially disclosed.
The DOGE posted on its website a record of 47 completed leases linked to SSA offices. However, the SSA indicated that 64 locations, primarily unused audience spaces, would not renew their leases. The discrepancy between both figures generated confusion, while users on X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky amplified the version of “massive closures.”
Closing of SSA offices or empty spaces? The controversy behind the DOGE data
The controversy began when a post on Bluesky shared a screenshot of the DOGE site, highlighting the list of 47 field offices marked for closure. Users interpreted this as a direct cut to Social Security services, although the SSA clarified that most of the spaces corresponded to remote hearing rooms not used since 2023.
The SSA published an archived spreadsheet detailing the 64 canceled contracts, 17 more than those cited by the DOGE. A spokesperson explained that these spaces were “rooms within existing offices”, intended for benefit appeals, and did not involve the total closure of offices. The agency also noted that only two locations with 202 employees would be consolidated, with no layoffs.
The facts behind the “closures” of Social Security
By cross-referencing the DOGE and SSA lists, 69 lease terminations were identified, including overlaps and differences. For example, DOGE listed an office in Logan, West Virginia, marked “temporarily closed,” while SSA added parking lots and a regional office. The lack of clarity in the criteria of both agencies fueled misinformation.
DOGE justified the terminations as part of a plan to optimize spending, classifying the closures as “true” or due to consolidation. The SSA, on the other hand, emphasized that the affected spaces were redundant: “These rooms were no longer used following the digitalization of hearings in 2023,” its spokesperson said.
Trump’s order to make the federal workforce “more efficient” reignited debates about cuts to public services. Although the DOGE linked the closures to this goal, the SSA insisted there was no direct relationship to job reductions. “No workers will lose their jobs; they will only be relocated,” the spreadsheet stated.
Public policy experts pointed out that the numerical discrepancy reflects administrative differences: the DOGE counts contract terminations, while the SSA includes all types of spaces, even symbolic ones. However, a lack of communication between agencies deepened public confusion.
The SSA referred inquiries about the leases to the General Services Administration (GSA), which is responsible for managing federal properties. The GSA did not clarify whether the termination of a contract at an existing office would imply its partial or complete closure. The DOGE, for its part, did not respond to requests for an explanation about the difference between its data and that of the SSA.
Data from both agencies show that the closures affected 23 states, with the highest concentration in Texas, California, and Florida. The tool allows you to filter by space type—audiences, parking, or offices—and check whether a location was listed by the DOGE, the SSA, or both. It’s recommended to get in touch with your local SSA agency in order to find out if it’s set to close or to stay open.
