President Trump says “Social Security is sacred to me, but it’s got to be run right”

In one of his first major decisions after his January 2025 inauguration, President Donald Trump appointed Elon Musk to lead the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a temporary organization established to recommend cost-cutting measures and improve federal efficiency, formerly known as Barack Obama’s US Digital Service (USDS), for auditing of all federal government agencies and organizations.​

DOGE has initiated audits to identify inefficiencies within the Social Security Administration. While some findings have been publicized, they have prompted legal scrutiny and debate among experts. The following details from DOGE audits have been announced:​

• DOGE reported that, as of the end of 2023, the Social Security Administration’s records included approximately 7 million accounts associated with individuals over 120 years old, suggesting potential inaccuracies in SSA records.
• DOGE found that 5.5 million Social Security numbers were issued to non-citizens between 2021-2025

These findings have been met with skepticism. A federal judge temporarily blocked DOGE’s audit efforts, citing concerns over privacy violations and lack of substantial evidence.

As the GAO has reported that the federal government has paid out $2.7 trillion in “improper payments” over the past two decades, President Trump’s calls for the DOGE audit of federal agencies and the urgent need for massive reform appear warranted.

Ending Social Security Taxes and Running It Right

Two bills have been introduced in Congress aiming to eliminate federal income tax on Social Security benefits:​

• H.R. 904 – No Tax on Social Security Act: Introduced on January 31, 2025, this bill proposes to exclude Social Security and Tier I railroad retirement benefits from gross income for federal tax purposes. ​

• H.R. 7084 – You Earned It, You Keep It Act: Introduced on January 25, 2024, this bill aims to eliminate federal income tax on Social Security benefits, offset by increasing the maximum taxable earnings cap

As of now, both bills are under consideration in the House of Representatives and have not yet been enacted into law.​

In an interview with Larry Kudlow on Fox Business News, Elon Musk stated that reducing waste and fraud in entitlement spending could potentially save the federal government over $600 billion annually. He emphasized that any proposed cuts to Social Security would target fraudulent claims, not legitimate beneficiaries.

Another step made by President Trump to ensure the integrity and fairness of Social Security was the signing of the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA) in January 2025, which aimed to address benefit disparities for certain public sector workers.​

As we are barely into the first 100 days of President Trump’s new term in office, the administration has initiated efforts to audit federal agencies and propose tax reforms concerning Social Security. Some claims regarding widespread fraud and the impact of these audits have been met with skepticism and legal challenges. Ongoing legislative processes will determine the future of proposed tax changes to Social Security benefits.

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