“Social Security beneficiaries and their families have every reason to be alarmed by Elon Musk’s takeover of the U.S. Department of Treasury’s payment system, which is responsible for paying Social Security benefits. The unelected billionaire, who has no legal role in the U.S. government but heads Trump’s unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and his newly-installed minions in the Treasury Department, now have access to the personal information of every Social Security beneficiary — and the ability to stop payments for any federal programs they dislike.
Trump’s promise not to touch Social Security should be of little comfort to the 68 million Americans who depend on their monthly benefits, especially since the president and his aides do not seem to consider Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) to be part of Social Security. Musk could turn off SSDI payments at his whim. Musk’s team also could stop payments to other programs touching the lives of millions of seniors, including Medicaid and Meals on Wheels.
Seniors, their families, and people with disabilities most certainly cannot trust Trump and Musk with their crucial federal benefits — or their personal data. We hope that the courts will halt this effort to hijack the Treasury Department’s payment system for blatantly political purposes.” – Max Richtman, President and CEO, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
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Media Inquires:
Walter Gottlieb