White House Defends Social Security and Medicare Amid Musk's Fraud Claims

Elon Musk's comments on entitlement spending draw criticism as the White House reiterates its commitment to preserving benefits.

Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), claimed that entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid generate $500-$700 billion in waste annually.
The White House clarified Musk's remarks, stating that President Trump remains committed to not cutting benefits, focusing instead on addressing fraud and waste.
Experts and fact-checkers have disputed Musk's claims, noting that actual fraud levels in entitlement programs are significantly lower than the figures he cited.
Critics, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Bernie Sanders, argue Musk's statements could be a pretext for justifying future cuts or privatization of entitlement programs.
The debate highlights broader concerns about the feasibility of achieving proposed budget cuts without affecting benefits, as nonpartisan estimates show limited potential savings from fraud reduction alone.