WASHINGTON — Joe Biden accused President Donald Trump of “taking a hatchet” to the Social Security Administration in a speech Tuesday. The address marked the former president’s return to the national stage four months after leaving the White House.
Biden Warns of Damage to Social Security
Biden spoke at a conference of disability advocates in Chicago. He argued the Trump administration’s sweeping cuts — led by Elon Musk’s controversial Department of Government Efficiency — have put millions of seniors and disabled Americans at risk.
“In fewer than 100 days, this new administration has done so much damage,” Biden said. “It’s kind of breathtaking it can happen that soon. They’ve taken a hatchet to the Social Security Administration, and ordinary people are paying the price.”
A Major Public Comeback
This was Biden’s first major public address since departing the White House in January. Though sharply critical of Trump’s policies, Biden never mentioned him by name. Instead, he focused on the administration’s actions and their human cost.
Thousands of Jobs Cut, Services Disrupted
He pointed to the elimination of 7,000 employees from the Social Security Administration so far. Thousands more could soon be out of work. Biden also said recent layoffs in the agency’s technology division caused its website to crash, leaving vulnerable Americans without essential services.
“You’ve got to ask yourself: Why is this happening?” Biden said. “Why are these guys taking aim at Social Security now? They’re following that old tech startup line: ‘Move fast. Break things.’ Well, they’re certainly breaking things. They’re shooting first and aiming later. The result is needless pain and sleepless nights for millions.”
Democrats Push Back on Federal Cuts
Biden concluded, “They want to wreck it so they can rob it.”
His remarks came as Democrats seized on the Social Security crisis. They’re using it to fight Trump’s aggressive downsizing agenda through Musk’s DOGE, which has pushed widespread federal job cuts and operational upheaval.
