Chuck Schumer Fact-Checked and Flattened Over Social Security Lies [WATCH]

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday for his recent comments regarding President Donald Trump’s approach to Social Security.

During a Wednesday press conference, Schumer accused the Trump administration of seeking to “demolish” Social Security “from within,” claiming the administration’s goal was to make the program so inefficient that it could eventually be used as a pretext to slash benefits and privatize the system.

Bessent, appearing on The Story with Martha MacCallum, dismissed Schumer’s remarks as “alarmist rhetoric,” asserting that such claims were not only false but also unhelpful.

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“Senator Schumer seems a little discombobulated these days,” Bessent said, referring to Schumer’s recent actions, including his support for the passing of the clean continuing resolution (CR) the week prior.

“He did the right thing on passing the clean CR last week. He’s taken a lot of shrapnel from his party. And extreme statements like this are not helpful for anyone.”

Bessent further stated that the Trump administration was focused on bringing accountability and efficiency to government services, including those related to Social Security.

“The American people, and they voted for President Trump, voted for accountability. And whether it’s DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency], whether it is our efforts at Treasury and the IRS, we are bringing accountability and efficiency in,” Bessent explained.

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“We want to make things better for the American people,” he continued, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to ensuring that seniors receive the benefits they’ve earned.

“We want to ensure that they get everything that they have paid in and their benefits are there when they need them as they need them… Senator Schumer is way off-base here.”

Bessent also pointed to President Trump’s recent executive order to modernize government payment systems, which he argued would help secure Social Security payments for seniors.

The executive order, signed on Tuesday, mandates a review of the current payment system to encourage more people to move to electronic payments, reducing the risk of theft, particularly for Social Security checks.

“There is a huge amount of theft of seniors’ Social Security checks, so if they are able to get into an electronic payment system, then they are much more secure. They come earlier and they are guaranteed,” Bessent said.

President Trump has consistently pledged not to cut Social Security, reiterating in January 2023 that the Republican Party should not “cut a single penny” from the program.

This commitment aligns with his administration’s broader efforts to modernize government operations and improve efficiency.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has faced scrutiny over improper payments in recent years.

A report from the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General in August 2024 estimated that $72 billion in improper payments occurred between fiscal years 2015 and 2022.

In response to these concerns, Trump appointed Leland Dudek to lead the SSA in February.

Dudek, who previously managed SSA’s anti-fraud office, took over following the resignation of the acting commissioner after a dispute over access to sensitive documents, as reported by The Washington Post.

Bessent’s remarks and the Trump administration’s actions underscore a continued commitment to ensuring that Social Security remains secure for the nation’s seniors, despite criticisms from Democrats like Schumer.

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