WASHINGTON DC — Senator Elizabeth Warren released a report from the Social Security War Room stating that staffing cuts at the Social Security Administration have led to disruptions in phone and field office services for millions of older Americans and people with disabilities. The report said the Trump administration laid off more than 7,000 employees at the agency, reducing service availability for beneficiaries.

An investigation cited in the report found that phone wait times were more than 10 times higher than what the agency claimed on its website, if calls were answered at all. "The results of these cuts have been catastrophic – driving up wait times for phone services and in-person field office appointments," the report said.

The report also addressed field office capacity. "Some rural field offices have reportedly been left with such limited capacity that [they] are effectively closed – unable to carry out the in-person services millions of older Americans and people with disabilities rely on," it said.

Warren formed the Social Security War Room with senators Ron Wyden, Mark Kelly, and Raphael Warnock, and the new report provides updates from its first year. "Since Day One, Donald Trump's attacks on Social Security have made it harder for Americans to get their benefits," Warren said. "We launched our Social Security War Room a year ago to fight back and stop Trump's damage, and that's exactly what we've done," she added.

In October, President Trump appointed investment banker Frank Bisignano as head of the Social Security Administration. Bisignano had planned to limit disability benefits and raise the retirement age for eligibility but scrapped the plan. The report concluded that "Commissioner Bisignano's disastrous leadership continues to put Americans' benefits at risk." It also said, "He is haphazardly shifting employees and limiting field office services to cover over the administration's catastrophic staff cuts and has indicated SSA is considering alarming solutions to address the insolvency of Social Security – including raising the retirement age." The report also criticized SSA leadership for pushing misleading data, mismanaging its staffing crisis, and proposing cuts to services.

A Social Security Administration spokesperson rejected Warren's claims about wait times, citing an inspector general report. "The baseless claims made by Senator Warren and perpetuated through her so-called 'War Room' only serve the purpose of scaring America's seniors and most vulnerable who rely on Social Security," the spokesperson said. "Senator Warren refuses to acknowledge the customer service improvements occurring at SSA under Commissioner Bisignano's leadership," the spokesperson added.