Biden says in first speech since leaving White House that the extent of Trump’s damage is ‘breathtaking’

Joe Biden has followed the unwritten tradition of stepping back from the spotlight upon leaving office as president of the United States. Nearly three months after leaving the White House, he gave his first speech this Tuesday in Chicago, Illinois. The 82-year-old former president addressed a gathering of lawyers and representatives of people with disabilities, presenting himself as a champion of Social Security. Biden stuck to the topic and defended his legacy on the matter, but he also took the opportunity to criticize Donald Trump, whom he didn’t mention by name at any time. “In fewer than 100 days, this new administration has done so much damage and so much destruction. It’s kind of breathtaking. They’ve taken a hatchet to the Social Security Administration,” he said.

It was a relatively predictable speech, with the kind of normalcy and predictability that each Trump appearance now lacks. Biden, who joked about his age, as he did during his final term as president, seemed somewhat more rested than he had been at the White House. He didn’t slip up or deviate from the speech that he read over the transparent screens on either side of him.

In an address lasting just under half an hour, Biden avoided going head-to-head with his predecessor-successor, who continues to denigrate him at every opportunity. But he did criticize the new administration’s work and how it is weakening Social Security, warning of a risk of further deterioration. Elon Musk, a close Trump ally, has spread, without evidence (and in many cases, it has been shown, without foundation), suspicions of widespread fraud in Social Security benefits. Biden views this as a strategy to attack the institution: “They’re certainly breaking things. They’re shooting first and aiming later.”

After defending all the Social Security improvements in benefits and customer service during his own tenure, Biden said that in less than 100 days, the new administration has done so much “damage and destruction” that it’s astonishing it could have happened so quickly. He said that the Trump administration has fired 7,000 employees, including the most experienced career officials, and is preparing to fire more. He said that people trying to log into the Social Security website can’t access their accounts because the Social Security Administration’s Technology Division has been cut in half, and the website is crashing.

Risk to pensions

People are now concerned, for the first time in history, that Social Security benefits could be delayed or interrupted, said Biden, calling the Social Security program “more than a government program: it’s a sacred promise.” He said Americans have received their checks in times of war, in recessions, during the pandemic, no matter what, but now, for the first time, that could change, and it could be a calamity for millions of families, millions of people, Biden noted.

Some Republicans have referred to Social Security as a “Ponzi scheme.” According to Biden, cutting Social Security spending will make it easier to make permanent the 2017 tax cuts, which benefit the wealthiest Americans and the largest corporations.

Biden left office with a low popularity rating due to the rise in illegal immigration and inflation during his term. He dropped his reelection bid after a disastrous debate with Trump heightened doubts about his mental acuity. Among his reservations about stepping down was his fear that Kamala Harris would be defeated by the Republican, which is indeed what happened. Biden still believes he would have had a chance to beat him again, as he did in 2020.

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