In his first major public appearance since leaving the White House, former president Joe Biden accused his successor, Donald Trump, of causing deep harm to the social security administration. Speaking at a national conference for disability advocates, Biden said Trump had “taken a hatchet” to the agency, which provides benefits to tens of millions of Americans.
“In fewer than 100 days, this new administration has done so much damage and so much destruction. It’s kind of breathtaking,” Biden said. “They’ve taken a hatchet to the social security administration.”
The speech came as Democrats across the country organised a “Social security day of action” to rally opposition against recent changes. Biden avoided naming Trump directly, referring to him instead as “this guy”. But his message was clear: he believes the Trump administration is undermining a critical safety net.
“They’re shooting first and aiming later,” Biden alleged. “They want to wreck it so they can rob it,” he said. “Why do they want to rob it? In order to give tax cuts to billionaires and big corporations.”
The social security administration has already faced job cuts and new identity-verification rules. A lawsuit has also been filed over the agency’s decision to give Elon Musk’s department of government efficiency access to sensitive personal data. Musk, a Trump adviser, has publicly criticised social security as a “Ponzi scheme”.
Advocates like attorney Jason Turkish say the uncertainty is scaring people. “We go from Republican to Democrat… and there’s always been a belief that social security is just something we do not touch,” he said.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt mocked Biden’s age, saying, “I’m shocked that he is speaking at nighttime.”
Though Biden no longer holds office, Democratic leaders like Hakeem Jeffries believe his voice is still vital. “This is an all-hands-on-deck moment,” Jeffries said.
Biden, who withdrew from the 2024, ended his speech with a call for unity and compassion. “We can’t go on like this as a divided nation,” he said. “It’s a 30% that has no heart.”
