Posted on Thursday, August 14, 2025
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by Alan Jamison
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President Donald Trump marked the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act during a White House event on Thursday by signing a proclamation and detailing how his administration is delivering on key 2024 campaign promises to seniors – including eliminating taxes on Social Security for most recipients.
“To this day, Social Security is rooted in a simple promise: those who gave their careers to building our Nation will always have the support, stability, and relief they deserve,” the proclamation states. “Thanks to my Administration’s efforts, Social Security now stands stronger and more resilient than ever before.”
Trump explained at the event how the Social Security Administration (SSA) has improved services during his second term, including reducing field office wait times by 30 percent, reducing call wait times by 80 percent while handling more calls, and providing constant online access to beneficiaries. He also explained that the administration has kicked hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens off the Social Security system this year.
“Last month, I signed the One Big Beautiful Bill and allowed no tax on Social Security for our great seniors… and to protect our benefits, we’ve already kicked nearly 275,000 illegal aliens off of the Social Security system,” Trump said. Democrats and many in the corporate media had notably claimed that no illegal aliens were on the program.
Along with removing illegal aliens from the program, the administration says it has identified more than “$1 billion in cost avoidance and efficiencies this fiscal year.” The agency has also addressed billions in improper payments, part of Trump’s commitment to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse from the federal government – and protect benefits for the Americans who are entitled to them.
According to the administration, wait times at field offices have decreased by 23 percent with “five times as many visitors” now having scheduled appointments compared to last year. All field offices are also fully staffed following a Trump directive ordering federal employees to return to the office in person.
The SSA has also seen a 26 percent reduction in the backlog of initial disability claims since last year, with the average wait time for a disability hearing decreasing by 60 days. Additionally, beneficiaries now have “24/7/365 access” to their online Social Security accounts compared to the previous 29 hours of weekly downtime.
According to a White House fact sheet, “Over 3.1 million payments — totaling more than $17 billion — were sent to eligible beneficiaries under the Social Security Fairness Act five months ahead of schedule.”
Contrary to media claims that the Trump administration’s staffing cuts would reduce SSA responsiveness, the revamped, leaner agency now appears to be more responsive than it was previously.
SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano joined the President in the Oval Office and discussed how improvements are being made under his leadership. The Senate confirmed him to his position in May. He explained that he has worked to improve the system during his brief time in the position.
“If you make an appointment to have a field office visit, it now happens in six minutes — unprecedented,” Bisignano said. “We are serving more people and delivering more than was ever delivered before in a manner with the highest possible quality, and we’ve just begun. You should expect this to be a great digital first agency.”
The White House further elaborated on improvements to the SSA under Trump’s leadership. The One Big Beautiful Bill ensures that 88 percent of Social Security beneficiaries have exemptions and tax deductions exceeding their taxable Social Security incomes – in effect, eliminating taxes on Social Security for the vast majority of recipients.
White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston praised Trump for his efforts to improve the Social Security system for beneficiaries.
“While Democrats flail and peddle lies about Social Security, President Trump is demonstrating his unbreakable commitment to protecting and strengthening this vital program for the nearly 72 million Americans who benefit from it,” she said. “By massively improving the customer service experience through technological improvements, preventing illegal aliens from accessing benefits, and delivering no taxes on Social Security through the One Big Beautiful Bill, President Trump has Made Social Security Great Again.”
Alan Jamison is the pen name of a political writer with extensive experience writing for several notable politicians and news outlets.
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