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Commerce Secretary Faces Backlash Over Social Security Fraud Remarks

Howard Lutnick suggested halting Social Security payments to detect fraud, prompting criticism from political leaders and concerns over the program's accessibility.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick appears for a confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C. on January 29, 2025.
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US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick walks with Tesla CEO Elon Musk on the South Lawn at the White House.

Overview

  • Howard Lutnick claimed that stopping Social Security payments could expose fraudsters, describing those who complain as likely engaging in fraud.
  • He argued that most seniors would not be upset by missing a month’s check, using his 94-year-old mother-in-law as an example.
  • Political figures, including Bernie Sanders and Kirsten Gillibrand, condemned Lutnick’s remarks as out of touch with the struggles of millions of Americans reliant on Social Security.
  • The Trump administration has cut 7,000 Social Security Administration employees and closed several offices as part of government downsizing efforts.
  • The Social Security Administration recently resumed debt collection through the Treasury Offset Program, paused since 2020, raising further concerns about beneficiaries’ access to essential funds.