Biden warns of Social Security threats in Chicago speech

Former President Joe Biden made headlines today with his first major public address since leaving office, delivering a forceful critique of President Donald Trump’s domestic policies and warning of unprecedented threats to Social Security.

Speaking at the ACRD (Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled) conference in Chicago, Biden accused the Trump administration of inflicting “astonishing” damage on the Social Security Administration in less than days. He claimed staff cuts and office closures could soon disrupt monthly payments to millions of elderly and disabled Americans—a scenario he described as a potential “calamity for millions of families”8.

Biden called Social Security a “sacred commitment” and lambasted what he called a “hatchet” approach by Trump’s team, referencing layoffs of thousands of federal workers. He also mocked claims by Trump officials about “300-year-old” Social Security recipients, calling them absurd. The former president’s delivery included characteristic humor but also some verbal slips, which Trump’s allies quickly seized upon in social media clips.

The Social Security Administration, now led by a Trump appointee, responded by accusing Biden of misleading the public about ongoing reforms, while the White House press secretary reiterated Trump’s commitment to protecting benefits.

Biden’s return to the spotlight comes as Democrats regroup after the elections, with Social Security emerging as a central issue in the ongoing partisan battle over America’s social safety net.