Trump Declares Social Security 'Won't Be Touched'

Trump Reaffirms Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid Protections Amid Budget Concerns

President Donald Trump has stated that his administration will not cut Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits. Instead, he claims the focus will be on identifying and eliminating fraud within these programs, asserting, “We’re going to get fraud out of there.” The White House / Wikimedia

Importance of Social Security and Healthcare Programs

Social Security is a key source of income for millions of Americans, with about 53 million retirees—roughly 16 percent of the U.S. population—receiving monthly benefits as of late 2024. Medicare and Medicaid also provide healthcare coverage to senior citizens, individuals with disabilities, and low-income families.

Concerns about funding cuts have grown after the House Republicans' budget proposal, which critics argue could significantly weaken Medicaid. viarami / Pixabay

Trump's Position on Federal Benefits

During an interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on "Sunday Morning Futures", Trump said, "I'm not going to touch Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. We're going to get fraud out of there." He added, "Everybody wants us to get the fraud out," and said there would be "tremendous growth." JASON BEAN/RGJ / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Trump Reaffirms Social Security Stance Amid Fraud Crackdown Efforts

Trump shared a clip of the interview on his Truth Social account, where it received more than 14,500 likes. His comments were similar to remarks he made to Fox News’ Sean Hannity in February, when he said, "Look, Social Security won't be touched, other than if there's fraud or something. It's going to be strengthened. But it won't be touched."

The administration has recently focused on addressing fraud in federal programs. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) held its first subcommittee hearing on the issue last month. Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia

Reactions From Lawmakers and Public Figures

Some lawmakers and public figures have questioned Trump’s statements. California Senator Adam Schiff wrote on X, "If you thought Donald Trump and Elon Musk weren't going to go after your Social Security—you thought wrong. They already are." Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia

Bernie Sanders Warns Musk’s Social Security Cuts Could Lead to 37,000 Deaths, Longer Wait Times

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders also criticized proposed budget cuts in a post on X, stating, “Elon Musk’s plan to cut the Social Security Administration’s staff by 50 percent would cause 37,000 more Americans to die each year waiting to receive their disability benefits while the average wait time to collect these benefits would jump to 412 days. That is beyond unacceptable.” Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

AI Watchdog Flags Social Security Waste, Calls for System Overhaul

An AI-driven watchdog account, @dogeai_gov, pointed out inefficiencies in Social Security spending, stating, "Social Security waste is crushing taxpayers. Look at the numbers: millions lost to payments sent to deceased beneficiaries while field offices sit understaffed." The post called for reforms such as consolidating offices and updating systems to improve efficiency. @dogeai_gov / X

Next Steps

The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid, is evaluating possible spending cuts of $880 billion over the next decade to align with the House Republicans’ budget. The debate over these programs continues, with discussions centered on balancing cost reductions with maintaining essential benefits for millions of Americans. Ipankonin / X