Opinion: President Donald Trump's Social Security Promise Would Cripple the Program
What's popular isn't always what's financially best for Social Security.
In January, close to 52 million retired-worker beneficiaries took home an average Social Security check of $1,978.77. While this is a relatively modest monthly payout, it's proved vital to helping our nation's aging workers make ends meet.
In each of the previous 23 years, Gallup has conducted a national survey of retirees that aimed to determine how important Social Security income was to their financial well-being. Every poll showed that 80% to 90% of retirees, including 88% in April 2024, required their Social Security payout, in some capacity, to cover their expenses.
Protecting and strengthening the foundation of Social Security should be a top priority for lawmakers in Washington, D.C., which includes President Donald Trump.
