Former U.S. President Joe Biden, in his first major public address since leaving office, delivered a strong critique of the Trump administration’s handling of Social Security. Speaking at a disability advocacy conference in Chicago, Biden accused the administration of inflicting severe harm on the program and its beneficiaries.
“In fewer than 100 days, this new administration has done so much damage and so much destruction. It’s kind of breathtaking,” Biden said.
He described Social Security as a “sacred promise” and criticized the administration for “taking a hatchet” to the agency by cutting 7,000 staff positions. “We know just how much Social Security matters to people’s lives,” he added.
The cuts are part of an overhaul led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by billionaire Elon Musk. Biden likened the approach to tech startups’ “move fast, break things” mentality, accusing Republicans of undermining the system to justify tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy. “They want to wreck it so they can rob it,” he remarked.
While Biden refrained from mentioning Trump by name, his remarks clearly targeted the administration’s policies. Trump has previously stated his commitment to protecting benefits for seniors and targeting fraud but denied plans for sweeping cuts. His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, reiterated that commitment, calling Biden’s claims untrue.
Biden concluded by emphasizing the need for unity in an increasingly divided nation: “It can’t go on like this. It’s never been this divided.”
Source: BBC
