In his first major public address since leaving office, former President Joe Biden accused President Donald Trump of severely damaging the Social Security system. Speaking at a national disability advocacy conference in Chicago, Biden claimed that in less than 100 days, the new administration has caused “breathtaking” harm to the Social Security Administration, saying they’ve “taken a hatchet” to it.

Biden’s remarks aligned with a nationwide “Social Security Day of Action” by Democrats, who are making the issue central ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. While Biden avoided referring to Trump by name, calling him only “this guy,” he forcefully criticized the administration’s actions, alleging attempts to dismantle the system to fund tax cuts for the wealthy.

The White House responded by mocking Biden’s age, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt questioning his ability to speak at night and announcing that Trump would sign a memorandum to prevent ineligible individuals from receiving Social Security benefits. The memo also aims to expand fraud investigations within the Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs.

Despite these measures, the Trump administration has faced backlash for staffing cuts, controversial identity verification plans, and allowing Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency access to personal Social Security data. Musk, a key Trump advisor, has previously criticized Social Security as a "Ponzi scheme."

Many beneficiaries have complained of service issues and mistaken benefit termination notices, which the agency later called an error. The White House insists it has no plans to cut benefits, emphasizing efforts to combat fraud and inefficiency. Biden emphasized that these moves appear reckless and politically motivated, warning that the administration is trying to dismantle Social Security to benefit corporations and the ultra-rich. While Biden doesn’t plan to frequently return to the spotlight, Democrats are expected to keep Social Security front and center in their strategy for the 2026 elections.