¶ Overview
In 2025, Tiffany 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 1.36 million Wisconsinites relied on Social Security benefits.
Tiffany promoted DOGE even though it resulted in federal funding cuts to Wisconsin and Trump threatened the livelihoods of 18,000 federal workers in Wisconsin.
¶ Tiffany Praised DOGE And The Trump Administration Despite The Harm It Was Causing To The Social Security Administration
¶ Tiffany Embraced DOGE Cuts And Promoted Them As Part Of His Fiscal And Pro-Trump Agenda
January 2025: Tiffany Alleged Widespread Fraud In SNAP And Claimed DOGE Cuts Would Address Rising Treasury Bond Yields. According to Breitbart News, “The Wisconsin Republican said that yields on American treasury bonds are going up because of the debt, and slashing spending with help from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) can alleviate this problem. Tiffany added that there is ‘enormous fraud’ with the food stamp program, more formally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).” [Breitbart News, 1/7/25]
June 2025: Tiffany Backed The White House Rescissions Package And Called To Codify Every DOGE Cut. According to Tiffany’s Twitter, “Today, the White House is expected to send a $9.4 billion rescissions package targeting wasteful spending at USAID, NPR, and PBS. The House must immediately pass it. But we can’t stop there. We need to codify every single DOGE cut.”
[Twitter, @RepTiffany, 6/3/25]
2024: Tiffany Backed DOGE Cuts As Part Of His Commitment To Advance Trump’s Agenda. According to Tiffany’s Twitter, “Americans have spoken, and Republicans in Congress must put the Trump agenda into action. I’m ready to: Work with DOGE to cut spending, Lower prices, Secure the border, Achieve energy independence, Delist the gray wolf.”
[Twitter, @RepTiffany, 11/15/24]
¶ At The Social Security Administration, Doge Forced Mass Layoffs, Longer Wait Times And Frequent Website Crashes
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 Tom Tiffany. 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]
¶
More Than 1.36 Million Wisconsinites Relied on social security benefits
In Wisconsin, 1,365,446 Individuals Relied On Social Security Benefits. According to the Social Security Administration, in 2024, 1,365,446 Wisconsinites received Social Security benefits, including 210,554 Wisconsinites in the 7th congressional district. [Social Security Administration, Wisconsin, 2024]
¶ Tiffany Promoted Trump’s DOGE Even Though Its Policies Resulted In The Mass Layoff Of Wisconsinites And Threatened Services
¶ Tiffany Advocated For Trump’s DOGE Cuts
June 2025: Tiffany Backed The White House Rescissions Package And Called To Codify Every DOGE Cut. According to Tiffany’s Twitter, “Today, the White House is expected to send a $9.4 billion rescissions package targeting wasteful spending at USAID, NPR, and PBS. The House must immediately pass it. But we can’t stop there. We need to codify every single DOGE cut.”
[Twitter, @RepTiffany, 6/3/25]
¶ DOGE Cut $5,472,730 In Federal Funding From Wisconsin Federal Offices
March 2025: DOGE Cut $5,472,730 In Federal Resources After Targeting 16 Wisconsin Offices For Closure. According to WKOW, “The Department of Government Efficiency's list of federal offices slated for downsizing or closure has grown to include more Wisconsin locations. 27 News reported last month that four offices, including one in Madison, were on the chopping block. Now, the number of affected locations in Wisconsin has grown to 16. […] The Bureau of Indian Affairs in Ashland reported savings of $1,515,284. The Rural Housing Service in Stevens Point reported savings of $896,408. The Food and Drug Administration in Wauwatosa reported savings of $499,666. The Federal Highway Administration in Madison reported savings of $408,205. The Food and Drug Administration in Madison reported savings of $272,746. The Internal Revenue Service in La Crosse reported savings of $180,995. The Departmental Management (IG) office in Madison reported savings of $143,726. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in Madison reported savings of $127,912. The Social Security Administration in Wausau reported savings of $48,466. The Office of U.S. Attorneys in Green Bay reported savings of $11,835. The Bureau of Indian Affairs in Shawano reported savings of $6,066. The National Labor Relations Board in Milwaukee reported savings of $0. In total, DOGE is claiming credit for $5,472,730 of savings in Wisconsin.” [WKOW, 3/4/25]
¶ DOGE Cuts Targeted More Than 18,000 Federal Jobs In Wisconsin
March 2025: Trump And Musk Fired Wisconsin’s New Federal Employees First And Targeted Additional Workforce Reductions. According to WPR, “The most recent available federal data shows Wisconsin had around 3,000 federal workers who have been serving for less than one or two years in their current roles. Often called probationary employees, they’ve been the first to be fired as President Donald Trump and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency seek to slash the federal workforce. While a federal judge has ruled the firings were illegal, the Trump administration is directing agencies to develop plans for ‘large-scale reductions in force’ by March 13.” [WPR, 3/5/25]
- March 2025: DOGE Cuts Could Impact Wisconsin’s 18,022 Federal Workers. According to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “There are 18,022 federal civilian employees in Wisconsin as of March 2024, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's FedScope online data tool.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/11/25]