Lawmakers Say SSA Sent Seniors an Email With ‘Misleading Information’—Here’s What to Know
Senators are questioning an email sent by SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano, saying it overstated tax relief for seniors under Trump's tax bill
Key Takeaways
- The SSA sent seniors an email on July 2 praising Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
- Senators say the email's $7,500 tax relief claim overstates the law's actual impact.
- Bisignano had not responded publicly to the criticism of this report.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are criticizing a recent email sent by Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank Bisignano to millions of beneficiaries, arguing it contained misleading claims and blurred the line between official government communication and political messaging. They say the email could undermine trust in the agency and confuse seniors about changes to their benefits.
So what did the email say—and how has Bisignano responded? Here’s what to know.
What to know about Frank Bisignano’s Social Security email
On July 2, Bisignano—who was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2025—sent out an email to a group of seniors on Social Security titled “Making Life More Affordable for America’s Seniors.”
According to multiple news outlets, the purpose of the email was to highlight the SSA’s efforts to improve their customer service and highlight the agency’s customer service efforts and tout tax relief for seniors under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).
“Thanks to President Trump, over 35 million American seniors received an average of $7,500 in relief this tax season,” Bisignano wrote in the email, according to CBS News. “Put simply, America’s seniors are winning!”
Why are lawmakers upset?
For those that are unfamiliar, the OBBBA reportedly created a $6,000 tax deduction for seniors, but many Americans reported that they either didn’t get it or didn’t get as much as they were promised. Because of that, lawmakers became furious about the email sent to seniors about how much money they received from the OBBBA because it contained “misleading information.”
“This was an unusual communication that served no legitimate purpose: rather than receiving necessary information about benefits or a critical communication from the SSA, recipients received a partisan, politicized message—containing multiple misleading statements—that heaped praise on President Trump,” Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, New Mexico Senator Ben Ray Luján and Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin wrote in a joint letter. “[N]ow you are abusing the millions of email addresses that may have been obtained through [enrollment in ‘my Social Security’ accounts] or other methods, bombarding Americans with blatantly partisan emails from SSA—misusing Americans’ personal information and jeopardizing the mission and integrity of SSA.”
“[F]ew presidents have done more than President Trump to damage Social Security—yet in an Orwellian twist, you are misusing official resources to heap praise on him,” concluded the senators. “The decision to send this email raises fresh questions about your judgement and your ability to prioritize SSA beneficiaries.”
After the letter came out, experts began agreeing with the senators. Shannon Benton, the executive director of nonpartisan advocacy group The Senior Citizens League told the outlet that seniors didn’t get “a $7,500 tax refund or $7,500 in direct savings.”
Nancy Altman, president of advocacy group Social Security Works, had similar thoughts, telling the outlet that the letter was “unprecedented.”
“It is a highly inappropriate use of the Social Security email list, which is intended to share important information about benefits and not for political messaging,” she added.
As of publication, Bisignano has not responded to the email controversy. However, the senators gave him until August 11 to provide a response, so that could change in the coming weeks. They also urged the SSA to disclose how many people received the email so they can implement safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future.
How to protect yourself from false information
Following the email from Bisignano and the letter made by lawmakers, some seniors are wondering what they can do to protect themselves in the future. If you receive an email about your Social Security benefits, verify any claims by checking your my Social Security account or visiting the SSA’s official website. If the message references tax changes or benefit amounts and you’re unsure how they apply to you, consult a trusted tax professional or financial advisor before making financial decisions.
“Democrats are correct to be suspicious of Bisignano’s claims about ‘improved’ customer Service at SSA in the wake of reckless and unprecedented staffing cuts. The Senators are also right to point out that the commissioner should not be using official SSA emails for the purpose of spreading political propaganda,” Max Richtman, CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, told Newsweek. “The SSA is a public trust, but the president and Bisignano have turned what is supposed to be an independent federal agency into an arm of the Trump political operation.”
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