Biden alleges Trump has 'taken a hatchet' to Social Security in his
first post-presidency speech
[April 16, 2025]
By STEVE PEOPLES and FATIMA HUSSEIN
CHICAGO (AP) — Former President Joe Biden warned on Tuesday that
President Donald Trump has “taken a hatchet” to Social Security,
weighing in on a critical issue for millions of Americans as the
82-year-old Democrat briefly returned to the national stage.
Biden, who has largely avoided speaking publicly since leaving the White
House in January, gave an evening speech at the national conference of
Advocates, Counselors and Representatives for the Disabled in Chicago.
The former president was speaking as Democrats across the nation offered
similar warnings for what they described as a Social Security Day of
Action.
“In fewer than 100 days, this new administration has done so much damage
and so much destruction. It's kind of breathtaking," Biden charged
during a speech that spanned just under a half-hour. “They’ve taken a
hatchet to the Social Security Administration.”
It was no coincidence that Tuesday’s appearance, which marked Biden's
first major event since leaving office, was focused on Social Security.
Democrats have increasingly focused on Trump's turbulent leadership over
the popular government agency that provides benefits to more than 70
million Americans.
Both parties expect Social Security to emerge as a key issue in next
year’s midterm elections.
Speaking before a crowd of roughly 200 people, Biden largely stuck to
his prepared remarks but also rambled at times as he told stories about
growing up with working-class people.
He referred to the Republican president only as “this guy.” Trump, by
contrast, continues to blame Biden for many of the nation’s problems and
often attacks his predecessor by name.
Conservatives immediately seized upon a Biden reference to the country's
political divisions as an attack on Trump supporters.
“We can’t go on like this as a divided nation, as divided as we are,"
Biden said. "As I said, I’ve been doing this a long time. It’s never
been this divided. Granted, it’s roughly 30%, but it’s a 30% that has no
heart.”
A Biden spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for
clarification about whom Biden was referencing.
Earlier in the day, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took a
shot at the former president’s age and fitness when asked about Biden's
appearance.
“I’m shocked that he is speaking at nighttime,” Leavitt said during
Tuesday’s White House press briefing. “I thought his bedtime was much
earlier than his speech tonight.”
She said that Trump, who is 78 years old, would sign a presidential
memorandum Tuesday afternoon “aimed at stopping illegal aliens, and
other ineligible people, from obtaining” Social Security benefits. The
memorandum will expand the Social Security Administration’s fraud
prosecutor program to at least 50 U.S. attorney offices, and establish
Medicare and Medicaid fraud prosecution programs in 15 U.S. attorney
offices, Leavitt said.
The Social Security Administration pushed back against Biden’s remarks
using its official X account.
“Former President Joe Biden is lying to Americans,” the agency wrote.
Trump's moves on Social Security have stirred controversy
The Republican president almost immediately began slashing the
government workforce upon his return to the White House, including
thousands of employees at the Social Security Administration.
Along with a planned layoff of 7,000 workers and contentious plans to
impose tighter identity-proofing measures for recipients, the SSA has
been sued over a decision to allow Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department
of Government Efficiency to access individuals’ Social Security numbers
and other personally identifiable information.
Musk, the world’s richest man and one of Trump’s most influential
advisers, has called Social Security “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all
time.”
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Former U.S. President Joe Biden speaks at the Advocates, Counselors,
and Representatives for the Disabled conference in Chicago, Tuesday,
April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
At the same time, Social Security recipients have complained about
long call wait times as the agency’s “my Social Security” benefits
portal has seen an increase in outages. Individuals who receive
Supplemental Security Income, including disabled seniors and
low-income adults and children, also reported receiving a notice
that said they were “not receiving benefits.”
The agency said the notice was a mistake. And the White House has
vowed that it would not cut Social Security benefits, saying any
changes are intended to reduce waste and fraud.
“They’re shooting first and aiming later,” Biden alleged. “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.”
Among the conference attendees was Michigan-based attorney Jason
Turkish, who leads one of the country’s largest disability law
firms. He said Trump’s presidency has caused anxiety for many of his
32,000 clients nationwide, who are worried about diminished benefits
and uncertainty over agency changes.
“We go from Republican to Democrat, Democrat to Republican and
there’s always been a belief that Social Security is just something
we do not touch,” he said.
Still, he said there are signs that Social Security Administration
officials are open to change. He cited how the agency partly
backtracked on plans to require beneficiaries to go to a field
office to verify their identity. Turkish is also optimistic about
agency modernization efforts.
A return to the stage for Biden
Biden is not expected to make frequent public appearances as he
transitions into his post-presidential career. He still maintains an
office in Washington, but has returned to Delaware as his regular
home base. Trump has revoked his security clearances.
“This is an all hands on deck moment, which is why President Biden’s
voice in this moment is so important,” Democratic House leader
Hakeem Jeffries said in a call with reporters ahead of Biden’s
address.
While Biden may be in a position to help his party with fundraising
and messaging moving forward, he left the White House with weak
approval ratings.
Biden also faces blame from some progressives who argue he shouldn’t
have sought a second term. Biden ended his reelection bid after his
disastrous debate performance against Trump and made way for
then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump in the fall.
Just 39% of Americans had a favorable opinion of Biden in January,
according to a Gallup poll taken shortly after Trump’s inauguration.
Views of the Democratic former president were essentially unchanged
from a Gallup poll taken shortly after the November election. They
broadly track with the steadily low favorability ratings that Biden
experienced throughout the second half of his presidential term.
Indeed, while some Democratic leaders welcomed Biden's return this
week, others were not pleased to see him.
“The best role that Biden could play going forward would be to stay
off the public stage,” said progressive activist Norman Solomon.
“That might sound harsh, but frankly, his self-centered mentality
has already done so much damage to the Democratic Party and the
country that he certainly owes us some belated humility.”
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Peoples reported from New York. Associated Press writers Sophia
Tareen, Will Weissert and Linley Sanders contributed to this report.
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