Donald Trump and shadow President Elon Musk are trying to take Social Security apart brick-by-brick, effectively cutting off many seniors from their hard-earned benefits. Their latest reckless mass firings and funding cuts have left seniors battling “insurmountable obstacle[s]” to access their benefits and waiting hours – if not days – to speak to staff. While Trump and Musk push another round of handouts for billionaires, they’re busy gutting a lifeline for millions of American seniors. 

Here’s a look at how Trump and Musk are risking benefits for 73 million Americans:

Washington Post: “Long waits, waves of calls, web crashes: Social Security is breaking down” 

“The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts because the servers were overloaded. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones at the front desk as receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. But the agency no longer has a system to monitor customers’ experience with these services, because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. …

“The turmoil is leaving many retirees, disabled claimants and legal immigrants who need Social Security cards with less access or shut out of the system altogether, according to those familiar with the problems. …

“Depending on the time of day, a recorded message tells callers that their wait on hold will last more than 120 minutes or 180 minutes. Some report being on hold for four or five hours. A callback function was only available three out of 12 times when a reporter for The Post called the toll-free line last week, presumably because the queue that day was so long that the call would not be returned by close of business. … 

Axios: “Social Security rushing service cuts at White House request, sources say” 

“Some of the most vulnerable Americans — including people who are hospitalized, kids in foster homes and those living in remote areas — will face more hurdles applying for disability benefits … 

“Some beneficiaries could effectively be blocked from receiving benefits, per an internal Social Security memo … 

Business Insider: “Social Security is telling its staff that customer service is about to get a lot worse” 

“Lines at your local Social Security office are about to get a lot longer — if it survives a wave of closures brought on by funding cuts under the Trump administration. …

“Acting Deputy Commissioner for Operations Doris Diaz told SSA staff on March 13 that recent reductions in phone service could lead 75,000 to 85,000 additional visitors a week to show up at local field offices in order to file Social Security claims. … 

“Over 73 million people claim Social Security, many of which rely on it as their primary source of income. Economists, policy analysts, and former and current SSA staff members told BI that the policy changes could be an insurmountable obstacle for seniors, making it harder for some to receive the checks they need to afford housing, groceries, and other basics.”