Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and owner of X (formerly Twitter), is at the center of a political storm after endorsing controversial comments from Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) about Social Security. Lee’s fiery remarks, calling the nearly 90-year-old program a “deceptive tax plan,” have drawn sharp criticism from advocacy groups who argue Musk’s amplification signals a broader effort to undermine the system.
In a thread posted on X, Senator Lee described Social Security as a “deceptive sales technique” and accused the government of “raiding” its trust fund. Musk’s reaction, calling the posts “interesting,” has alarmed advocates who see it as a tacit endorsement of Republican efforts to cut or privatize the program.
Social Security Works (SSW), a progressive advocacy group, condemned Musk’s actions, stating, “By amplifying Senator Lee’s rhetoric to his hundreds of millions of followers, Elon Musk has just declared war on Social Security.” Alex Lawson, the group’s executive director, highlighted Social Security’s historic reliability, emphasizing that it has never missed a payment since its inception.
Lawson also pointed to inequities in the tax system, arguing that billionaires like Musk contribute less, proportionally, than average Americans. “If billionaires paid the same rate on all their income as the rest of us, Social Security could expand benefits for everyone and remain solvent indefinitely,” Lawson said.
Max Richtman, president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, echoed these concerns. “Social Security is a cornerstone of American life, and these baseless attacks only serve to undermine public trust,” he stated. Richtman warned that disinformation campaigns could erode support for the program, paving the way for cuts that would harm millions of Americans.
Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers have increasingly signaled their willingness to target entitlement programs, with Representative Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) suggesting “hard decisions” need to be made. This rhetoric clashes with past campaign promises by President-elect Donald Trump to protect Social Security. Critics note that Musk’s role as co-chair of a task force on government efficiency could directly influence spending cuts, placing the program in jeopardy.
Richard Fiesta, executive director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, called Musk’s involvement a betrayal of public trust. “Social Security is a promise that Americans have paid into with every paycheck. No one authorized billionaires or politicians to gamble with these earned benefits,” Fiesta said.
Advocates argue that adjustments to the payroll tax cap, which would require high-income earners to contribute more, could secure Social Security’s future without reducing benefits. As public outrage grows, advocacy groups vow to hold accountable any efforts to weaken the system, calling Musk’s involvement a pivotal moment in the fight to protect Social Security.
