Acting commissioner Leland Dudek called Maine Gov. Janet Mills a “petulant child” for defying Donald Trump.
Summary
Emails reveal that Social Security Administration acting chief Leland Dudek canceled Maine’s vital records contracts as retaliation against Democratic Gov. Janet Mills after she clashed with Trump.
Despite warnings this could increase identity theft and fraud, Dudek said, “no money will go from the public trust to a petulant child.”
The termination briefly blocked parents from obtaining Social Security numbers for newborns. Dudek reversed the decision within 24 hours amid backlash.
Lawmakers called for his resignation. Dudek, a former IT staffer, was controversially elevated after aiding Elon Musk’s DOGE team.
Dudek had been a mid-level IT staffer at Social Security before being put on administrative leave for helping Elon Musk’s DOGE team access sensitive databases inside the agency. The Trump administration tapped him to lead the agency after more senior officials refused to cooperate with Musk’s team.
The most fanatically loyal to the Dear Leader, the most contemptuous of both the law and the people, are plucked from mediocrity and placed at the top.