Story perspectives

Musk-linked data theft fuels Trump’s 2.7 M dead proposal

6/6/2026

Summary

Story summary

A Social Security official said labeling millions as deceased was coordinated with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team, whose employee stole data from Social Security databases.
President Donald Trump’s Homeland Security proposed marking 2.7 million people as dead in Social Security records, a step that was never carried out.
After reviewing 25 names and finding none deceased, Schofield declined to implement the proposal because lawyers warned it was illegal.

1 of 1

Story summary

A Social Security official said labeling millions as deceased was coordinated with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team, whose employee stole data from Social Security databases.
President Donald Trump’s Homeland Security proposed marking 2.7 million people as dead in Social Security records, a step that was never carried out.
After reviewing 25 names and finding none deceased, Schofield declined to implement the proposal because lawyers warned it was illegal.