President Donald Trump marked the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act on Thursday with a pledge to protect and strengthen the program through historic tax relief, anti-fraud measures, and administrative reforms.
Trump Highlights Historic Tax Relief For Seniors
In a formal proclamation, Trump commemorated the legislation signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935, calling Social Security "rooted in a simple promise: those who gave their careers to building our Nation will always have the support, stability, and relief they deserve."
Trump highlighted a provision from last month's "One Big Beautiful Bill" that he said will allow the vast majority of seniors to pay no federal tax on their Social Security benefits, describing it as "the largest tax break for seniors in the history of our country."
Fraud Crackdown And Border Security Tied To Benefit Protection
The president also announced stepped-up efforts to root out "fraud, waste, and abuse," including halting payments to deceased individuals and denying benefits to those who do not legally qualify.
"These measures will save American taxpayers billions of dollars every year," he said.
Linking border policy to entitlement preservation, Trump said strong immigration enforcement would ensure "Medicare and Social Security are preserved for the citizens who paid into them — not abused by illegal aliens who have no right to be here."
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Sanders, Warren Mark Social Security's 90th Anniversary With Attack On Trump
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Thursday accused Trump of working to dismantle Social Security, using the program's 90th anniversary to call for expanded benefits and higher taxes on the wealthy.
In a post on X, Sanders praised Social Security as "the most popular and successful government program" in U.S. history, noting it has paid every benefit owed for nine decades.
He warned that Trump, Elon Musk, and others have sought to undermine confidence in the program by spreading false claims, including that people aged 150 to 360 receive checks.
Sanders said Trump's administration cut more than 7,000 Social Security Administration jobs, closed field offices, and made it harder for seniors and disabled Americans to receive benefits by phone.
The Vermont Independent announced the "Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act," which would reverse Trump-era cuts, block future closures, and extend the program's solvency for 75 years by lifting the cap on taxable income. That change, he said, would allow a $2,400 annual benefit boost without raising taxes on the bottom 91% of Americans.
Social Security has “lifted millions of seniors out of poverty. We're not going to let Trump and his friends dismantle it," Sanders said.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) also marked Social Security's 90th anniversary with a post warning Trump, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and their allies to stop interfering with the program, saying, "Get your hands off our checks."
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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