It is true that improper payments have been made—including some to dead people—but the claims thrown out by Elon Musk and Donald Trump are overstated.

Attempts by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, to seek access to the Social Security Administration’s database have sparked concern that it could compromise people’s private financial and medical information and could lead to a disruption in benefits.

Before President Donald Trump started mass layoffs of federal workers, he demonized them, arguing, despite evidence to the contrary, that most of them never went into the office.