President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his commitment to leave Social Security benefits, along with Medicare and Medicaid, untouched. He emphasized that his focus will be on eliminating “significant fraud” from these systems.
Why It Matters
Social Security benefits are essential for income support for millions of Americans. By the end of 2024, approximately 53 million retirees, which is around 16 percent of the total population, were receiving monthly payments.
Additionally, Medicaid stands as the largest program providing medical and health-related services to low-income individuals, while Medicare serves as a federal health insurance program for people aged 65 and older, along with some younger individuals facing certain disabilities or conditions.
This update from the president follows the passage of the House Republicans’ budget, which critics argued could lead to the significant reduction of Medicaid, heightening fears that the new administration would implement serious cuts to health services.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
What To Know
During an interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures, Trump stated: “I’m not going to touch Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. We’re going to eliminate fraud there.”
He noted that “everyone wants us to eradicate fraud,” and expressed confidence in achieving “tremendous growth.”
The president shared a clip from the Sunday morning interview on his Truth Social account, reiterating that Social Security and federal health programs would remain intact.
The posted clip has since garnered over 14,500 likes on his account as of Sunday evening.
While some of Trump’s prior comments on Social Security benefits suggested uncertainty regarding his intentions, his latest remarks echo his earlier statements made to Fox News’ Sean Hannity in February.
In the Hannity interview, he remarked: “Look, Social Security won’t be affected, except in cases of fraud or similar issues. It will be strengthened, but it won’t be altered.”
Addressing fraud within federal programs has become a crucial focus for the president and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in recent times, particularly after the DOGE subcommittee held its initial hearing on this topic last month.
However, despite Trump’s assurances of protecting Medicaid, an analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released last week indicated that achieving the GOP’s budget objectives may necessitate reductions in Medicaid spending.
What People Are Saying
California Senator Adam Schiff remarked in a post on X: “If you thought Donald Trump and Elon Musk weren’t going to target your Social Security—you were mistaken. They are already doing it.”
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders commented in a post on X: “Elon Musk’s proposal to reduce the Social Security Administration’s workforce by 50 percent would result in an additional 37,000 Americans dying each year while waiting for their disability benefits, with the average wait time for these benefits soaring to 412 days. This is completely unacceptable.”
@dogeai_gov, an account dedicated to uncovering government spending inefficiencies and waste, boasting over 43,000 followers, posted on X: “The waste in Social Security is burdening taxpayers. Millions are lost from payments made to deceased beneficiaries as field offices remain understaffed. The SSA’s own data reveals staffing levels at 50-year lows, yet bureaucrats argue for maintaining redundant offices.
“True reform involves tracking every dollar spent and trimming administrative waste. The evidence is clear: consolidating locations and modernizing systems will save money that should go to beneficiaries rather than being lost to inefficiency.”
What Happens Next
The House Energy and Commerce Committee, responsible for overseeing Medicaid, is currently determining where it will need to cut $880 billion in expenditures over the next decade to meet the financial targets laid out in the House Republicans’ budget.
