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By Gabe Whisnant
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In his first speech since leaving the White House in January, former President Joe Biden took aim at cuts to Social Security put in place by President Donald Trump's administration and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
"Fewer than 100 days into this administration," Biden said, "this new administration has done so much damage and done so much destruction. It's kind of breathtaking."
He continued, "They've taken a hatchet to the Social Security Administration."
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Why It Matters
Established in 1935 as a safety net for retirees, the program now supports nearly 70 million Americans, including seniors, disabled individuals and survivors of deceased workers. However, the Social Security trust fund is projected to be depleted by the mid-2030s, prompting concerns about long-term sustainability. Lawmakers are divided on how to address the shortfall. Democrats generally favor strengthening the program through increased payroll taxes on higher earners, while many Republicans advocate for reforms such as raising the retirement age or restructuring benefits to reduce costs.
The issue has become a flashpoint in presidential politics and broader debates over government spending and ideological differences over the role of government.
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What to Know
Biden, Tuesday's keynote speaker at the national conference of Advocates, Counselors and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD) in Chicago, highlighted DOGE's spending and staffing cuts. He mentioned, specifically, the reported issues about the Social Security website crashing and beneficiaries being worried about delayed checks.
The 82-year-old former president mentioned Musk's quote about Social Security being "the ultimate ponzi scheme of all time."
"What the hell are they talking about," Biden said.
Saying later, "Social Security is more than a government program. It's a sacred promise we made as a nation."
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is facing mounting criticism amid plans to lay off 7,000 workers and implement stricter identity verification measures for beneficiaries. The agency is now the subject of a lawsuit over its decision to grant access to individuals' Social Security numbers and other sensitive personal information to DOGE.
Meanwhile, recipients have reported growing frustration over long wait times when calling the SSA, as well as frequent outages on the agency's "my Social Security" online portal. Many Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients—including disabled seniors, low-income adults, and children—have also received alarming notices incorrectly stating they are "not receiving benefits."
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took a jab at the former president's age during Tuesday's press briefing when asked about his upcoming speech.
"I'm shocked that he is speaking at nighttime," Leavitt remarked. "I thought his bedtime was much earlier than his speech tonight."
Leavitt went on to announce that President Trump, who is 78, would sign a presidential memorandum Tuesday afternoon focused on preventing Social Security benefits from being accessed by "illegal aliens and other ineligible individuals." The directive will expand the Social Security Administration's fraud prosecutor program to at least 50 U.S. attorney's offices and will also establish new Medicare and Medicaid fraud prosecution initiatives in 15 additional offices.
Tuesday's appearance in Chicago marked the first time Biden has directly criticized Trump since leaving office, though he referred to the Republican president only as "this guy" during his remarks. In contrast, Trump continues to regularly name Biden in speeches, blaming him for many of the country's current challenges and frequently targeting his predecessor with personal attacks.
What People Are Saying
The SSA posted on X, formerly Twitter, after Biden's speech, "Former President Joe Biden is lying to Americans. Here are the facts: President Trump has repeatedly promised to protect Social Security and ensure higher-take home pay for seniors by ending taxation on Social Security benefits."
The account added, "SSA is taking commonsense steps to transform how we serve the public - last month, we spent $16.5 million to modernize telephone services nationwide. We're developing cutting-edge, AI-powered tools to streamline simple tasks."
Biden said in his speech, "They're shooting first and aiming later. They want to wreck it so they can rob it. Why do they want to rob it? In order to give tax cuts to billionaires and big corporations."
What Happens Next
Biden is not expected to make frequent public appearances as he settles into post-presidential life. While he continues to maintain an office in Washington, he has returned to Delaware as his primary residence.
Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this story.
Update: 4/15/25, 7:09 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
Update: 4/15/25, 7:43 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
Update: 4/15/25, 7:50 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
Update: 4/15/25, 8:07 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
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