Social Security Fraud Expert Who Was Nearly Fired For Helping DOGE Tapped to LEAD Entire Agency

In an incredible twist of justice, a Social Security Administration staffer who was almost fired for aiding DOGE in their efforts to stop fraud now leads the entire agency.

Leland Dudek, who previously worked as head of the SSA’s anti-fraud office, almost lost his job after his boss discovered that he was complying with DOGE’s requests to investigate fraud in the agency.

In other words, Dudek was doing his job as head of the anti-fraud department.

But, then, the tables turned…

Within hours after Dudek confessed to helping DOGE, Acting Social Security Commissioner Michelle King resigned — and Dudek was appointed to take her place!

Check out the details:

At 4:30pm, Leland Dudek’s boss put him on leave for helping DOGE find fraud. “They want to fire me,” he wrote. “I confess. I helped DOGE understand SSA.”

Within hours, it was his boss who was fired, and the longtime SSA waste-watcher was elevated to lead the whole agency. pic.twitter.com/q6DcczSDaR

— Luke Rosiak (@lukerosiak) February 19, 2025

Congratulations Leland Dudek!!! Dudek, who has been supportive of DOGE’s efforts to root out waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government, will serve as acting commissioner of SSA until President Trump’s pick to lead the agency, Frank Bisignano, is confirmed by the Senate pic.twitter.com/CykMa7hDIa

— Windstone (@Windstone8440) February 18, 2025

NEW HEAD: Leland Dudek takes over – PRO-DOGE, ready to expose waste & fraud.

The swamp is NOT happy about this…

5/ pic.twitter.com/1NRhcmXACR

— Rod D. Martin (@RodDMartin) February 18, 2025

Sometimes good things do happen to good people.
Thanks Leland Dudek. pic.twitter.com/JwsbF9w9Pb

— Steve Retired Texas Pragmatist (@SteveTexasBest) February 21, 2025

The Daily Wire covered the story:

Leland Dudek was an obscure bureaucrat at the Social Security Administration who dedicated his career to stopping fraud. But when he worked with the Department of Government Efficiency to do just that, he came close to being fired.

“At 4:30pm EST, my boss called me to tell me I had been placed on administrative leave pending an Investigation,” Dudek wrote on LinkedIn. “They want to fire me for cooperating with DOGE,” he wrote in a now-deleted post obtained by The Daily Wire.

Then, a stunning reversal occurred. It was Acting Social Security Commissioner Michelle King who was out of a job. And Dudek was reinstated with a big promotion — taking her job leading the massive agency on an interim basis.

The Washington Post reported that King exited the agency after refusing to let DOGE access agency data and was replaced by Dudek. But it has not been reported that managers at the agency had moved to punish Dudek as he cooperated with the efficiency czars.

The LinkedIn post said “I confess. I helped DOGE understand SSA. I mailed myself publicly accessible documents and explained them to DOGE. I confess. I moved contractor money around to add data science resources to my anti-fraud team. I confess. I asked where the fat was and is in our contracts so we can make the right tough choices.”

“I confess. I bullied agency executives, shared executive contact information, and circumvented the chain of command to connect DOGE with the people who get stuff done,” it continued. “Everything I have ever done is in service to our country, our beneficiaries, and our agency.”

As Acting Commissioner, Lelank Dudek will lead the SSA until President Trump’s pick for head of the agency, Frank Bisignano, is confirmed by the Senate in the coming weeks.

The Washington Post reported on the change of hands:

President Donald Trump appointed Leland Dudek, a manager in charge of Social Security’s anti-fraud office, as acting commissioner while Frank Bisignano, the president’s nominee for permanent commissioner, is vetted by the Senate, according to three individuals who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk candidly. A public announcement is expected this week. Dudek had posted positive remarks on social media about DOGE’s efforts to cut costs and search for fraud in federal agencies, according to two of the individuals.

“President Trump has nominated the highly qualified and talented Frank Bisignano to lead the Social Security Administration, and we expect him to be swiftly confirmed in the coming weeks,” White House spokesman Harrison Fields said in a statement. “In the meantime, the agency will be led by a career Social Security anti-fraud expert as the acting commissioner. President Trump is committed to appointing the best and most qualified individuals who are dedicated to working on behalf of the American people, not to appease the bureaucracy that has failed them for far too long.”

In selecting Dudek, Trump bypassed dozens of other senior executives who sat higher in the agency’s leadership hierarchy, touching off alarm in and around the agency, which has already faced years of budget and staffing difficulties.