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By Aliss Higham
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New York State Attorney General Letitia James has taken aim at President Donald Trump over recently announced changes to the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, James posted: "Millions of vulnerable Americans, including New Yorkers, depend on the Social Security benefits they deserve. Trump's new policies to close offices and limit phone support are going to prevent people from accessing the benefits they need. It's shameful."
Newsweek has emailed the Trump administration for comment on James's remarks, and contacted the attorney general by email.
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Why It Matters
The attorney general's comments relate to an announcement earlier this week that, starting March 31, benefit claimants will no longer have the option to verify their identity with the SSA or change their direct deposit information over the phone.
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employees are working to cut federal costs at the SSA and other government departments.
It is also not the first time James has taken on President Trump and his allies in office. She is also part of an ongoing lawsuit with 18 other state attorneys general to stop DOGE, which is unofficially headed by tech billionaire Elon Musk, from accessing personal data housed in the Treasury Department.
What To Know
Announcing the changes on Tuesday, the SSA said in a statement: "Over the next two weeks, SSA will carefully transition to stronger identity proofing procedures for both benefit claims and direct deposit changes.
"Individuals seeking these services who cannot use their personal 'my Social Security' account, which requires online identity proofing, will then need to visit a local Social Security office to prove their identity in person."
The SSA has said the change will "further safeguard Social Security records and benefits against fraudulent activity," although by the SSA's own admission, the move could see an additional 85,000 people visiting field offices every week—at a time when several are being closed down and staffing cuts are being made at the federal agency.
James v. Trump
This is not the first time James has publicly taken on Trump, having sparred with him many times over the years since she was elected attorney general in 2018. On the night of her election, when Trump was in his first term as president, she said: "He should know that we here in New York—and I, in particular—we are not scared of you."
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James added that she would shine "a bright light into every dark corner of his real estate dealings, and every dealing, demanding truthfulness at every turn." This referred to a civil fraud lawsuit she led against Trump's real estate company ahead of his 2024 election win.
Trump has maintained his innocence in the case, and the judgment of now over $500 million, including interest, is on appeal. In September 2024, Trump tore into James on his social-media platform, describing her as a "total disaster." "This Witch Hunt, by Letitia James, is SO BAD for New York City and State," the Republican wrote.
James also recently joined a lawsuit opposing Trump's proposed birthright citizenship ban and is leading another case against his January attempt to impose a broad federal funding freeze—both of which were blocked in court. James has warned she will sue if Trump mandates local support for federal immigration raids.
What People Are Saying
James said in a joint statement after a federal court granted her motion for a preliminary injunction to stop Musk and DOGE from having unauthorized access to federal systems: "Musk and DOGE are trying to wipe out vital programs and services—from health care to public safety to education—that our communities need. I led a coalition of attorneys general to put a stop to this lawlessness, and a federal court has yet again blocked their access to our confidential information."
Leland Dudek, the acting commissioner of the SSA, told reporters on a March 18 call regarding changes to phone line services: "These changes are not intended to hurt our customers, but to make sure benefits go to the right customer at the right time."
Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, said of the news that the SSA will require beneficiaries to visit local field offices to prove their identities: "This will make it far harder for the American people to claim their earned benefits. It could even cause major delays, and ultimately collapse the system, by overwhelming the field offices."
What Happens Next
Further changes to SSA services could be on the way as DOGE continues its work at the agency.
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