In 2025, Carr praised Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency” as DOGE-driven cuts and downsizing were affecting the federal government’s ability to deliver services to seniors. More than 2 million Georgians relied on Social Security benefits.
Carr promoted DOGE even though it resulted in $815 million in federal funding cuts to Georgia nonprofits, universities, and organizations and threatened the livelihoods of 115,600 federal workers in Georgia.
February 2025: Carr Joined 20 Republican Attorneys General In Asking The Court To Not Prevent DOGE From Accessing Sensitive Data Amid Arguments That DOGE Was Unconstitutional. According to WXA-ATL (NBC), “Attorney General Chris Carr has joined 20 Republican attorneys general in support of President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency in filing a brief asking the court to not take action on preventing DOGE from accessing sensitive data before judgment is made. While several Democratic attorneys general argue Elon Musk's authority at DOGE is unconstitutional. Meanwhile, Carr and other Republican attorneys general claim Democrats are trying to block the administration's efforts to access data that could show wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars.” [WXA-ATL (NBC), 2/19/25] (VIDEO)
November 2025: Carr Called Himself “A Big Fan Of DOGE,” But Said The Order Should Have Gone Through Congress “Because There’s Only So Much That [The Executive Branch] Can Do.” According to Carr on The Ben Burnett Show, “And the executive branch doesn't make laws. They issue executive orders and regulations that are supposed to fall within those laws. But it typically doesn't because it's political people that are pushing this. I was a big fan of DOGE, but the way to do that is through Congress, not through the executive branch, because there's only so much that they can do. I wish they'd go back to work.” [Chris Carr – The Ben Burnett Show, 11/3/25] (VIDEO)
HEADLINE: "Social Security Stops Reporting Call Wait Times And Other Metrics" [Washington Post, 6/20/25]
HEADLINE: "As Social Security Services Are Cut Back, Millions Of Seniors Face Long Drives" [Axios, 6/8/25]
HEADLINE: "Social Security Website Keeps Crashing, As DOGE Demands Cuts To IT Staff" [Washington Post, 4/7/25]
HEADLINE: "Social Security Faces Thousands More Job Cuts Even With Service In Tailspin" [Washington Post, 4/4/25]
The Center On Budget And Policy Priorities Said The Trump Administration Had Pushed Out 7,000 Social Security Workers. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "Over the past five months, the Trump Administration has forced the Social Security Administration (SSA) through a radical transformation that threatens to disrupt services for the largely older and severely disabled people who most rely on the agency.[1] The Trump Administration and its so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have created huge gaps in customer service and support by indiscriminately pushing out 7,000 workers to hit an arbitrary staffing reduction target. This is the largest staffing cut in SSA’s history.[2] (See Figure 1.)" [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 6/23/25]
The Social Security Administration Website Crashed Four Times In Ten Days In March 2025 Because Servers Were Overloaded. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
Field Office Managers At Social Security Offices Had To Answer Phones In Place Of Receptionists Because DOGE Had Pushed Out So Many Federal Employees. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
DOGE Eliminated The Social Security Administration’s System To Monitor Customer Experience. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
Early February-Late March 2025: AARP Said More Than 2,000 People Per Week Had Called Expressing Concerns About Whether They Would Continue To Get Their Social Security Benefits. According to the Washington Post, "Alarmed lawmakers are straining to answer questions back home from angry constituents. Calls have flooded into congressional offices. AARP announced Monday that more than 2,000 people a week have called the retiree organization since early February — double the usual number — with concerns about whether benefits they paid for during their working careers will continue. Social Security is the primary source of income for about 40 percent of older Americans." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
In Georgia, 2,023,789 Individuals Relied On Social Security Benefits. According to the Social Security Administration, in 2024, 2,023,789 Georgians received Social Security benefits. [Social Security Administration, Georgia, 2024]
April 2025: DOGE Cut More Than $815 Million In Federal Grants To Georgia Public Schools, Universities, Public Health, Mental Health Services, Housing, Immigrant Services, Agriculture, And International Causes. According to State Affairs, “A State Affairs analysis of DOGE data found that as of mid-April, more than $815 million in federal grants for public schools, universities, public health, mental health services, housing, immigrant services, agriculture and international causes based in Georgia have been cut.” [State Affairs, 5/2/25]
March 2025: DOGE Cuts Could Impact 115,600 Georgia Federal Workers. According to State Affairs, “Roughly 115,600 federal workers were employed in Georgia as of March, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, though analysts anticipate that number will drop in the coming months.” [State Affairs, 5/2/25]
May 2025: The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention In Atlanta Lost More Than 2,300 Employees Due To DOGE Layoffs And Buyouts. According to State Affairs, “No federal agency in Georgia has felt the sting of firings more than the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has lost at least 2,300 employees since layoffs and buyouts began last month, according to a list provided by former workers.” [State Affairs, 5/2/25]