By Alex Moore
On January 19th Arjun Mody became the new Deputy Commissioner for Social Security, for a term that runs through the same date in 2031. He was confirmed by the Senate on December 19th.
In his new role, Mody will serve as the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) Chief Operating Officer. That means he will be responsible for the agency’s day-to-day business, such as its human resources and finance functions. He would also serve as Acting Commissioner if current Commissioner Frank Bisignano, left the role or could not perform it due to health reasons, until or unless the President appointed a replacement.
So, if Mody is going to have so much influence over how the agency responsible for Social Security, who exactly is he?
An Indian American, Mody said in his Senate confirmation hearing that his father, who had immigrated to the U.S. with just $8 in his pocket, served veterans at VA medical centers. Mody himself started his career similarly, serving as a Presidential Management Fellow at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy after an education that included a law degree from Arizona State. He then went on to work as an aide for Senators Elizabeth Dole, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and John Barrasso. He later joined S-3 Group, a government relations and public affairs consultancy, as a principal in 2017. He then returned to the Senate in 2018 as staff director for the Senate Republican Conference under Senator John Barrasso. He served there until joining President Trump’s transition team after the 2024 election.
In his confirmation hearing, Mody expressed a commitment to “preserve and protect the promise [of Social Security] for every eligible American.” He also acknowledged the challenges of managing the agency’s massive scope, describing it as “the largest in our government.”