Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is raising the alarm about what he sees as a Republican effort to dismantle Social Security. Following President Donald Trump’s speech to both chambers of Congress last week, Sanders accused him of trying to erode public confidence in the program as a step toward privatization.
Don't Miss:
- Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — this is your last chance to become an investor for $0.80 per share.
- ‘Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. You can invest today for just $0.26/share with a $1000 minimum.
Trump Claims Social Security Is Riddled With Fraud
During his speech, Trump claimed the government is wasting money by paying benefits to millions of nonexistent Social Security recipients. According to him, federal databases list over a million people aged 150 or older still receiving payments, including one person supposedly 360 years old.
“We have a healthier country than I thought,” Trump joked. But he insisted that cutting “fraud, waste, and theft” would help reduce inflation, lower mortgage rates, and protect seniors.
Sanders wasn't convinced. He fired back, arguing that this narrative is designed to justify future cuts. “When the President spends 3 minutes lying about Social Security in his SOTU, you know what’s coming,” he posted on X. “Trump wants Americans to lose confidence in a popular program that has kept 27.6 million out of poverty. Up next? Privatizing Social Security to enrich his billionaire friends.”
Trending: Mark Cuban Backs This Innovative Startup That Turns Videos into Games — Claim Your Share Now
‘Scrap the Cap’ Instead of Cutting Benefits
Sanders has long pushed for expanding Social Security instead of cutting it. He has repeatedly criticized the fact that billionaires pay the same amount in Social Security taxes as someone earning $168,000 per year. His solution is to “Scrap the cap” and make the wealthy pay their fair share.
“It is absurd that a billionaire in America today pays the same amount of Social Security taxes as someone making $168,000 a year,” Sanders argued. “It is time to scrap the cap, expand benefits, and fully fund Social Security.”
Under his proposal, income over $250,000 would also be subject to Social Security taxes, which he says would keep the program solvent for at least 75 years and allow for an annual benefit increase of $2,400 per recipient.
A Bigger Battle Over Social Programs
Sanders’ fight over Social Security is part of a broader battle against what he calls the “Robin Hood in reverse” approach of Republicans. He argues that Trump’s budget priorities aim to give massive tax breaks to the wealthy while slashing essential programs like Medicaid, education, and housing.
“If we can turn two Republicans around to vote no…against massive tax breaks for billionaires while they cut Medicaid and education, we can make a huge dent in the Trump agenda,” Sanders said in a recent interview with MSNBC.
He also warns that the push to undermine Social Security is just one piece of a larger effort to privatize key social programs. “At the end of the day, what they want to do is make the case to the American people that the whole government stinks,” he said. “Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid—all of these programs that help you—they’re terrible. And the way forward is to privatize them.”
See Also: Inspired by Uber and Airbnb – Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets – with $1,000 you can invest at just $0.26/share!
The Billionaire Influence
Sanders has repeatedly called out billionaire influence in politics, particularly that of Elon Musk. He claims Musk, who has donated hundreds of millions to Trump's campaign, is using his wealth to shape government policies.
“Musk put over $270 million into Trump's campaign and guess what? He’s now the most important person in government. What does that sound like to you? Does that sound like a democracy…or is it really an oligarchy doing the bidding of the very richest people?” Sanders asked.
Sanders warns that if billionaires can influence government to this extent, everyday workers will be next. “Today, it’s federal workers. Tomorrow, it’s your job. That’s what oligarchy is about.”
Read Next:
- If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it?
- Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart & Target – Many are rushing to grab 4,000 of its pre-IPO shares for just $0.26/share!
© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
