In a major public appearance since leaving office, Joe Biden addressed a crowd in Chicago, where he took aim at the welfare policies of the Trump administration. While he did not mention Trump by name, Biden expressed concerns over the changes being implemented at the Social Security Administration (SSA), describing the program as a "sacred promise" crucial to the lives of millions.
The Biden administration has accused Trump and his allies, including Elon Musk, of aiming to dismantle essential social security services, which currently support approximately 67 million Americans, mainly the elderly and those unable to work due to disabilities. The government reportedly plans to reduce SSA staffing by around 10%, equating to 7,000 jobs, which critics argue undermines the agency's integrity.
In his speech at a disability rights event, Biden claimed that under the new administration, "so much damage and so much destruction" has occurred in less than 100 days. This rhetoric illustrates the severity of Biden’s concerns regarding the policies aimed at addressing fraud in social security, a position he emphasized during his remarks.
Elon Musk, overseeing cuts within the agency, described social security as "the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time," while Trump’s administration maintains it is working to eliminate fraudulent claims without indiscriminately cutting benefits. Just days before Biden’s speech, Trump signed an order preventing illegal immigrants from receiving social security payments and asserted his commitment to protecting these benefits for "law-abiding tax-paying American citizens and seniors."
In related commentary, former President Barack Obama also weighed in on the current administration's actions, criticizing Trump's freeze on $2 billion in federal funds allocated to Harvard University. This decision was deemed "unlawful and ham-handed," showing a continued pattern of political contention stemming from Trump’s policy decisions.
As both Biden and Obama weigh in on Trump’s administration, the broader impact of these welfare policies on American citizens remains a contentious and pivotal issue in the realm of U.S. politics.
