New reporting reveals that Trump’s gutting of the Social Security Administration (SSA) delayed retirement claim processing by 25%, and led to a “degradation of public service” for millions of people seeking their hard-earned benefits.
The revelation comes after the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities published a report underscoring that Trump and Republicans’ attacks on SSA put the operational reliability of the agency’s systems at an unprecedented risk. According to experts, Trump’s actions create a risk that Americans will see disruptions in their benefits and applications.
Trump’s administration issued sweeping changes at SSA, including closing offices, taking efforts to financially devastate Americans by clawing back payments already issued to them, and causing confusion by floating restrictions on phone-based services for beneficiaries and applicants.
“Trump is waging a war on retirees and disabled Americans by closing SSA offices, botching the processing of benefits, and treating folks like freeloaders instead of the hard-working people who help keep this country running,” said American Bridge 21st Century spokesperson Brandon Weathersby. “This is nothing short of a betrayal, and voters won’t forget it.”
Published: May 16, 2025 | Last Modified: May 19, 2025