Overview
- The Washington Post reported that a draft Social Security inspector general audit showing 2025 'total wait times' averaging 46 minutes to over two hours was edited before publication to remove that metric.
- The version released in December portrayed average time to reach a representative as under 10 minutes, a result praised by SSA leadership and the Trump administration.
- File version history cited by the Post shows the long-wait findings were deleted just prior to publication after agency review.
- Advocacy groups including Social Security Works say the changes exemplify an erosion of independent oversight following President Trump’s early-term removal of inspectors general at 19 agencies.
- Critics link degraded service to DOGE-led cuts and contend courts and congressional Republicans have limited avenues for inquiry, with reports noting the Supreme Court restored DOGE access to Social Security data and GOP resistance to probes.