After trying to cut funds for Social Security and Medicare every year of his first term, Donald Trump lied to the American people on the campaign trail last year, claiming he’d protect both programs during his second term. Instead of following through on his promises, Trump’s administration is already taking steps to gut the programs, including rescinding Biden-Harris initiatives to lower prescription drug costs through Medicare and plotting to gut the Social Security Administration.   

Trump tried to gut Social Security every year of his first term and is pledging cuts in a second term. 

Vox: “Trump said he wouldn’t cut Medicaid, Social Security, and Medicare. His 2020 budget cuts all 3.”

Trump’s FY18, FY19, FY20, and FY21 budgets each proposed billions of dollars in cuts to Social Security programs.

National Review: “Speaking with CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump was asked whether he would cut entitlements at some point. ‘Will entitlements ever be on your plate?’ asked interviewer Joe Kernen. ‘At some point they will be,’ Trump responded. ‘At the right time, we will take a look at that. You know, that’s the easiest of all things [to cut].’”

Mediaite: “During a Fox News town hall, President Donald Trump promised to cut entitlements like Medicare and Social Security if he were to win a second term. … ‘But if you don’t cut something in entitlements, you will never really deal with the debt,’ town hall co-moderator Martha MacCallum interjected, alluding to social safety programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. ‘Oh, we’ll be cutting,’ Trump rushed to confirm.”

CNN: “In his book, Trump lamented big cuts the program would need without changes, and said he would consider privatization.

“‘The truth is undeniable, the workers of America have been forced to invest a sixth of our wages into a huge Ponzi scheme,’ Trump wrote.” 

Trump’s billionaire backer and shadow president Elon Musk is already gearing up to slash Medicare and Social Security — leaving millions of Americans out in the cold. 

Washington Post: “Social Security Administration leadership is under instruction to swiftly produce plans to cut its staff by half, according to two employees at the agency who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.”

NextGov: “At least five of the eight regional [Social Security Administration] commissioners whose offices oversee and support the agency’s frontline offices across the country are leaving, according to a source familiar with the agency and an SSA employee not authorized to speak on the record. …

“Their departures come amid rumors of impending staff cuts at SSA, where the workforce is already at a 50-year low and has toiled amid a customer service crisis born of lack of funding.”

Prospect: “The decision could target one of the government’s most prominent public-facing initiatives: SSA field offices, where seniors, people with disabilities, and survivors whose parents have died can sign up for benefits and get information.”

ProPublica: “Anxiety Mounts Among Social Security Recipients as DOGE Troops Settle In”

“[T]he DOGE team landed at the Social Security Administration this week, with Musk drawing attention for his outlandish claims that large numbers of 150-year-old “vampires” are receiving Social Security payments. …

“Their first wave of actions — initiating the elimination of 41 jobs and the closing of at least 10 local offices, so far — was largely lost in the rush of headlines.”

New York Times: “Musk Wants to Slash $2 Trillion in Federal Spending. Is That Possible?”

“‘To eliminate a third of the government, you would have to dramatically eliminate full functions of the federal government,’ said Brian Riedl, a senior fellow at the right-leaning Manhattan Institute. ‘You would have to dramatically scale back programs like Social Security, Medicare and defense and veterans.’”

On his first day in office, Trump immediately rescinded the Biden-Harris order to lower drug costs, targeting Medicare recipients across the country.  

White House: “The following executive actions are hereby revoked: …

“Executive Order 14087 of October 14, 2022 (Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Americans).”

Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services: “President Biden issued Executive Order (EO) 14087, ‘Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Americans,’ to further address prescription drug affordability through the work of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (the Innovation Center). The Innovation Center tests innovative payment and service delivery models designed to reduce program expenditures while preserving or enhancing the quality of care furnished to its beneficiaries.”