Former President Donald Trump is running for the office again, and one of the most important topics during this coming election will be how to deal with Social Security and Medicare costs. With the Social Security Administration saying that the trust fund is projected to run out by 2033, and with many Republicans calling for cuts to the program, where does Trump stand?
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While he has not proposed any direct cuts to Social Security throughout his early campaign, we can look back at his previous statements about Social Security to try to find out exactly where he stands.
Here’s a quick history of how Trump has proposed dealing with Social Security and where he’s at today.
Trump Used To Be in Favor of Social Security Cuts
Trump has been on record several times stating that Social Security needs an overhaul. In his 2000 book, “The America We Deserve,” Trump called Social Security a “huge Ponzi scheme.”
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In that book, he proposed to raise the retirement age to 70, which he said could add $3 trillion to Social Security within 10 years. All while cutting taxes for the middle class.
As recently as 2020, during his second presidential bid, Trump said in a Fox News Town Hall, “Oh, we’ll be cutting, but we’re also going to have growth like you’ve never had before.”
It seems that Trump knows Social Security needs addressing, but he has walked back those statements on several occasions. His most recent position seems to be to avoid making any changes to entitlement programs at all.
As a Presidential Candidate, Trump Says He Will Protect Medicare and Social Security
In a video message in January 2023, Trump said he would protect Medicare and Social Security programs. With a message heavily focused on Democratic spending, Trump warned Republicans, “Do not cut the benefits our seniors worked for and paid for their entire lives. … Save Social Security; don’t destroy it.”
This comes as an apparent switch in policy as many previous Trump statements have suggested that cuts to both Social Security and Medicare would be on the table.
While it’s hard to keep track of his stance on Social Security cuts, it seems that once he’s on the campaign trail, he’s on board to protect Social Security at all costs. Even back in 2016, he stated that he would like to “do everything within my power not to touch Social Security, to leave it the way it is.”