Joe Biden didn't hold back in his first public speech since stepping down as president, slamming Donald Trump’s administration and Elon Musk for what he called a brutal dismantling of Social Security.
Speaking at a disability rights conference in Chicago on April 15, Biden took aim at the changes being pushed through by the current administration, accusing them of gutting the benefits program and breaking what he called “a sacred promise” to the American people.
"In fewer than 100 days, this new administration has done so much damage and so much destruction. It's kind of breathtaking," Biden said (via BBC News). Though he didn’t mention Trump by name, he left little doubt about who he was targeting, referring to him only as “this guy” or “these guys.”
“We can't go on like this as a divided nation, as divided as we are. Like I said, I've been doing this a long time. It's never been this divided,” Biden told the crowd. “Granted, it's roughly 30 percent, but it's a 30 percent that has no heart.”
The event marked Biden’s return to the public eye since leaving office in January. He addressed the crowd in a quiet, at times hushed voice, reflecting on his family and childhood before diving into the core of his message—Social Security.
He described the program not as just “a government program,” but “a sacred promise we made.”
"73 million Americans receive Social Security, from the first pay check for their entire life they pay into social security and in return, they count on social security to be there for them when they're going to need it," he said. "Folks, we must never ever betray that trust or turn our backs on an obligation – that's why during my presidency we protected social security and made it stronger."
Biden didn’t hold back criticism of Trump’s allies either. Speaking about Musk’s efforts through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Biden noted sarcastically, “By the way, those 300-year-old folks getting Social Security, I'd like to meet them. Helluva thing man. I'm looking for longevity. Because it is hell when you turn 40 years old.”
Musk, who now leads the administration’s cost-cutting efforts, has referred to Social Security as “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.” The agency under Trump’s leadership has begun slashing 7,000 jobs, targeting what they claim are fraudulent payments and benefits going to “ineligible” people, including undocumented immigrants.
Trump recently signed an executive order barring illegal immigrants from receiving Social Security benefits. His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said the president is “absolutely certain” about protecting benefits for “law-abiding tax-paying American citizens and seniors,” adding, “He will always protect that program.”
The Social Security Administration, now led by a Trump appointee, publicly rebuked Biden’s speech on social media. “Former President Joe Biden is lying to Americans,” the agency posted on X.
White House spokesperson Steven Cheung also fired back, saying Biden’s appearance was “an incoherent speech” from a man with a “feeble mind.”
"President Trump has repeatedly promised to protect Social Security and ensure higher take-home pay for seniors by ending the taxation of Social Security benefits,” Cheung said (via NBC News). “Anybody saying otherwise is either stupid or an all-out liar, or both in Biden’s case."
In his speech, Biden countered the narrative that Social Security is rife with fraud, defending the integrity of the system. “A Ponzi scheme — what the hell are they talking about? People earn these benefits,” he said. “They paid into that benefit. They rely on that benefit. And no one, no one, no one should take it away.”
He also slammed a Republican proposal to reauthorize Social Security every five years, questioning: “Who the hell do they think they are?”
The former president concluded with a warning and a vow: “They’re certainly breaking things, they’re shooting first and aiming later. The result is a lot of needless pain and sleepless nights,” he said, quoting a friend, Governor Ali: “They want to wreck it so they can rob it.”
Biden declared he would not support any effort to reduce benefits. “I refuse to go along with any of it,” he said. “One of the most important jobs of any elected official is to make sure the government works for the people, works for all the people [...] and that we keep our promises to the people, all the people.”