John,
Elon Musk is undermining faith in our Social Security system, incorrectly claiming “extreme levels of fraud” at the Social Security Administration.1 But these lies aren’t just a symptom of Musk’s ignorance about the program. This is a systematic attack by the Trump administration on Social Security―and the millions of seniors and people with disabilities impacted by their attack on core services.
Last week, in a televised interview, Trump’s Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick accused anyone who complains about their Social Security check being late of being a fraudster.2
Trump himself repeated Musk’s lies about “fraud” at the SSA in a joint address to Congress.3
Now, Trump is allowing Elon Musk’s DOGE to fire Social Security Administration staff and close Social Security field offices. At the same time, they have stopped accepting applications or changes to benefits by phone. People are now required to go online or seek appointments in person. But 61% of seniors don’t have broadband service in their homes.4 And getting an in-person appointment starts with a phone call, now with 4-hour wait times on the Social Security toll-free number.
All of this is effectively delaying or cutting off older Americans and people with disabilities from their benefits. These attacks are particularly painful for people in rural areas and those waiting, on average, almost 8 months for Social Security and SSI disability claims to be processed.5
Rush a donation today to fight back against these attacks on Social Security, which is the single most popular social insurance program in American history.
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Years before running for president―and years before he claimed he’d never touch Social Security―Trump inaccurately called Social Security a Ponzi scheme.6 Now Musk is repeating this same lie, last month calling Social Security “the Biggest Ponzi scheme of all time” on Joe Rogan’s podcast.7
Their strategy is to undermine faith in our earned benefits, so when people begin to see lapses in their Social Security payments, they’ll buy the line that Social Security is unsustainable. No―these are wounds Trump and Musk are inflicting.
This isn’t hyperbole. Martin O’Malley, Social Security’s most recent Senate-confirmed commissioner, predicts that Musk and DOGE’s actions will result in a “system collapse” within the “next 30 to 90 days.”8
Rush a donation today to fight back against Trump and Musk’s all-out assault on Social Security.
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Together, we’re holding the administration accountable while demanding Congress act to protect Social Security―and the millions in our communities who are feeling the impacts already.
Thank you for your critical support,
Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs
1 Former head of Social Security says Elon Musk and DOGE are wrong about the agency
2 BREAKING: Trump's billionaire Commerce Secretary says that seniors won't care if they don't get their Social Security checks — and that anyone who does complain is a fraudster.
3 Larson: Trump’s Blatant Lies About Social Security Must Not Go Unanswered
4 Long waits, waves of calls, web crashes: Social Security is breaking down
5 Disability determination processing time
6 Trump previously backed policies on Social Security for which he’s now attacking DeSantis, calling the program a ‘Ponzi scheme’
7 Trump allies press the White House to dial back Elon Musk's media interviews over his Social Security jabs
8 Social Security Benefits Could Face 'Interruption' Within 30 Days
