Trump Archives

Former Social Security Official Says Musk/DOGE Caused “Trauma and Chaos” at SSA

Laura Haltzel is the first former Social Security Administration (SSA) official who was present for the Trump administration’s takeover of the agency to speak out publicly in an on the record interview. In her first interview since leaving SSA, Haltzel told Entitled to Know that Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) “traumatized” SSA employees — and created “gross inefficiencies” in the system. Haltzel resigned her post as Associate Commissioner Office of Research, Evaluation and Statistics on February 28, accepting an early retirement offer that the administration extended to all SSA employees.

NCPSSM2025-03-13T18:32:08-04:00March 13th, 2025|Categories: Elon Musk, Social Security, Social Security Administration (SSA), Trump|

Trump & Musk Tried to Make it Harder for Parents to Register Newborns for Social Security

It started as a baffling and alarming decision. The Social Security Administration (SSA), under the influence of President Trump’s campaign to gut the federal government and Elon Musk’s DOGE team, announced the termination of Maine’s Enumeration at Birth (EAB) program. For 35 years, the EAB program had allowed parents to register their newborns for Social Security numbers right at the hospital. But suddenly, without warning, SSA moved to rescind this critical service, effectively forcing parents to register their children for Social Security with an SSA agent, at a time when Trump and Musk are closing SSA field offices and radically reducing the agency’s workforce.

NCPSSM2025-03-07T17:11:15-04:00March 7th, 2025|Categories: Max Richtman, Social Security, Social Security Administration (SSA), SSA field offices, Trump, Uncategorized|

What the Heck is Going on at the Social Security Administration?

In the short period of time that Trump, Elon Musk and DOGE have had their hooks in the Social Security Administration, there have been alarming changes at the agency. The most obvious – and most egregious – is Musk and DOGE’s access to the sensitive personal data of some 70 million Social Security beneficiaries, creating the potential for enormous abuse. This was the first line of attack in Musk’s bogus campaign to expose fraud at an agency where improper payments are less than 1% of total benefits paid.

NCPSSM2025-02-26T17:17:50-04:00February 26th, 2025|Categories: Social Insurance, Social Security, Social Security Administration (SSA), Trump|

What Does Project 2025 Bode for Older Americans? Hint: Nothing Good

The right-wing Heritage Foundation produced Project 2025, a blueprint for a second Trump term. Though Project 2025 doesn’t specifically advocate for cuts to Social Security, the right-wing think tank has taken positions that would seriously undermine the nation’s most popular social insurance program. On the issue of Medicare and prescription drug prices, however, Project 2025 explicitly calls for changes that could be devastating for seniors. We chatted with our senior legislative representative, Maria Freese, about the implications of Project 2025 for older Americans.

Walter Gottlieb2024-07-19T15:23:26-04:00July 19th, 2024|Categories: Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Drug Coverage and Costs, Social Insurance, Social Security, Trump|

Our Debate Takeaway: Trump’s Lies Undermine Seniors’ Earned Benefits

As seniors’ advocates, it is not our job to parse Joe Biden’s debate performance. It’s our job to tell Americans in straight talk who is telling the truth about Social Security and Medicare — and who will protect them as president. In last night’s debate, Donald Trump repeatedly spread disinformation about seniors’ earned benefits, while President Biden’s statements were consistent with the truth — and with his record in office of defending both programs.

NCPSSM2024-07-16T13:29:50-04:00June 28th, 2024|Categories: Election 2024, Medicare, Prescription Drug Prices, President Biden, Presidential Politics, Social Insurance, Social Security, Trump|

Prescription Drug Price Reform of Historic Proportions

Those who refer to the Inflation Reduction Act passed by the Senate this past weekend as “historic” are not exaggerating. The Act represents the most muscular legislation to date to try to tame rising prescription drug prices, which can be devastating for seniors.

NCPSSM2022-08-09T13:35:14-04:00August 9th, 2022|Categories: Congress, Democrats, Don't Cut Pills Cut Profits, Max Richtman, Medicare, Prescription Drug Prices, President Biden, Senate, Trump|

It’s Time to Bring Back the House Select Committee on Aging

Some two decades ago, seniors had a Congressional committee dedicated solely to safeguarding their interests. Then the Republicans, led by Speaker Newt Gingrich, took control of the House for the first time in 40 years and shut down the House Select Committee on Aging. Today, there is a movement to revive that committee – and there truly is no moment since 1994 when it has been so sorely needed.