CHICAGO — April 2025 | In a rare and pointed return to the national stage, former President Joe Biden delivered a scathing rebuke of President Donald Trump’s handling of the Social Security Administration (SSA), accusing the Republican administration of launching a deliberate campaign to dismantle the agency.
Speaking at the National Conference of Advocates, Counselors and Representatives for the Disabled, Biden warned that Trump’s early actions in his second term — including mass layoffs, access changes, and restructuring efforts — threaten the integrity of a program that serves over 70 million Americans.
“In fewer than 100 days, this new administration has done so much damage — it’s breathtaking,” Biden said. “They’ve taken a hatchet to the Social Security Administration.”
A Battle Over Social Security’s Future
Biden’s remarks come as Democrats across the country observe a coordinated Social Security Day of Action, emphasizing what they view as existential threats to the program under Trump. Among the most controversial moves by the current administration:
- The planned layoff of 7,000 SSA employees
- Legal challenges to new identity verification protocols
- Reports of benefit disruptions affecting Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients
- A data-sharing agreement allowing Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to access Social Security numbers — a decision now under scrutiny
Musk, one of Trump’s top advisers, has previously described Social Security as “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.”
SSA officials have confirmed that recent benefit cancellation notices were sent in error, though concerns about staffing shortages and rising call center wait times persist.
The Trump Administration Responds
During a White House press briefing earlier Tuesday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt mocked Biden’s appearance, remarking, “I’m shocked that he is speaking at nighttime. I thought his bedtime was much earlier.”
She defended Trump’s approach, citing new efforts to combat fraud and prevent benefits from going to “illegal aliens and other ineligible people.” According to Leavitt, Trump signed a presidential memorandum expanding the SSA’s fraud prosecution program and launching new initiatives targeting fraud in Medicare and Medicaid.
In a now-viral post on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, the SSA said:
“Former President Joe Biden is lying to Americans.”
Mixed Reception Among Democrats
While Biden’s return was welcomed by top Democrats like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who called his voice “essential in this moment,” others in the party remain cautious. Biden, now 82, ended his 2024 reelection campaign after a faltering debate performance against Trump and was succeeded by former Vice President Kamala Harris, who went on to lose the general election.
A Gallup poll from January found just 39% of Americans viewed Biden favorably — a continuation of low approval ratings during his second term.
Fear and Uncertainty Among Beneficiaries
Jason Turkish, a disability rights attorney whose firm represents more than 30,000 Social Security clients, said many feel anxious under Trump’s leadership. “There’s always been an unspoken agreement — that we don’t touch Social Security,” he said. Still, he acknowledged that some officials have shown willingness to modify or reverse the most disruptive changes after public backlash.
A Sharpening Political Divide
Biden criticized the broader political climate, warning against growing division and polarization.
“We can’t go on like this as a divided nation,” he said. “It’s never been this divided. Granted, it’s roughly 30%, but it’s a 30% that has no heart.”
Conservatives seized on the remark, accusing Biden of attacking Trump’s voter base.
With both parties bracing for a contentious midterm season, the future of Social Security may prove to be a defining issue — not just for campaign rhetoric, but for millions who rely on it daily.
Sources:
- Social Security Administration official statements via @SocialSecurity
- Gallup polling data (Jan. 2025)
