Co-President Elon Musk gave an unhinged interview to Fox Information on Thursday during which he referred to anybody who complains about not getting their Social Safety advantages as being “fraudsters.” The remark got here whereas he defended the adjustments he’s made which might be breaking down the important social security internet program.
“One of the things I learned at PayPal was, you know who complains the loudest? And with the most amount of fake righteous indignation? The fraudsters. That’s—it’s a tell,” Musk, the world’s richest man who’s value greater than $340 billion, advised Fox Information in an interview whereas he was surrounded by different members of his so-called Division of Authorities Effectivity.
In fact, authentic folks have misplaced their advantages due to Musk and his DOGE bros’ actions. That features one very a lot alive man who was accused of being useless. To revive the advantages he earned by years of labor, the person was compelled to leap by hoops and navigate a system Musk has purposefully damaged.
Musk’s different adjustments to this system—together with slashing workers, closing places of work, and altering the method with which beneficiaries confirm their identities—is resulting in lengthy wait instances for beneficiaries to get questions answered or resolve issues.
And on Friday, a new coverage goes into impact the place seniors who have been overpaid by the Social Safety Administration will now have their advantages completely withheld till they pay the cash again—a transfer that punishes Social Safety recipients for the federal government’s errors. Former President Joe Biden had modified the coverage to withhold solely 10% of a beneficiary’s advantages till their overpayments have been returned.
“If an overpayment is being made, that means the Social Security Administration is withholding 100% of their payment for however long it takes to repay the agency—and they are without money to pay for food,” Dan Adcock, director of presidency relations and coverage for the Nationwide Committee to Protect Social Safety and Medicare, advised CBS MoneyWatch.
Throughout Musk’s interview, even Fox Information stooge Bret Baier wasn’t shopping for what Musk was promoting.
“I think that most people, common-sense-wise, would say the fraud’s gotta end. But they’re concerned about the 94-year-old mother who skips a check or somehow doesn’t get what she’s supposed to get,” Baier mentioned.
Musk’s remark denigrating anybody who complains about not getting their Social Safety advantages is almost an identical to the road Trump’s Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik, a fellow billionaire, used in a podcast interview final week.
“As an instance Social Safety did not ship out their checks this month. My mother-in-law, who’s 94, she would not name and complain. She simply would not. She thinks one thing received tousled and he or she’ll get it subsequent month. A fraudster all the time makes the loudest noise screaming, yelling, and complaining. And all the blokes who did PayPal, like Elon is aware of this by coronary heart, proper? Anyone who’s been within the cost system and the method system is aware of the simplest strategy to discover the fraudster is to cease funds and pay attention,” he mentioned.
Attacking Social Safety recipients wasn’t the one unhinged factor Musk did within the interview with Baier. Musk additionally lied about how DOGE isn’t being reckless of their cuts to the federal authorities.
“I do agree that we actually want to be careful in the cuts,” Musk mentioned. “We want to measure twice, if not thrice, and cut once. That is our approach.”
However Musk has completely not been cautious. After he haphazardly fired hundreds of probationary federal workers, the federal government needed to scramble to rehire staff it had fired. These staff included stewards of the nation’s nuclear weapons arsenal, staff heading off a chicken flu pandemic, and people administering a program for folks sickened by their publicity to floor zero on 9/11.
Musk gave the interview to Fox Information in an effort to construct help for his DOGE catastrophe.
To date, his efforts have been deeply unpopular with voters, who view Musk unfavorably and who overwhelmingly oppose not solely the cuts he’s making but in addition the best way during which they’re being made. A latest ballot carried out for Fox Information discovered 51% of registered voters oppose shrinking the federal workforce, and 65% mentioned Musk and DOGE haven’t given sufficient thought and planning to the cuts.
And there are indicators that Musk’s actions are hurting Trump and the Republican Occasion.
For instance, on Tuesday, Democrats flipped a state Senate seat in Pennsylvania that Trump received by 15 proportion factors in 2024—and which Democrats have by no means earlier than received.
Trump additionally pulled New York Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination to function ambassador to the United Nations due to fears that Republicans may lose her district, which Stefanik received by greater than 20 factors final yr.
“With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat,” Trump wrote in a Fact Social submit on Thursday. “The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day. There are others that can do a good job at the United Nations. Therefore, Elise will stay in Congress, rejoin the House Leadership Team, and continue to fight for our amazing American People.”
In the meantime, Republican Senators are being urged to sing DOGE’s praises as they face indignant constituents at city corridor conferences who’re demanding that the GOP stand as much as Musk’s cuts. However as extra People really feel the ache of Trump and Musk’s cuts, telling voters to not consider the ache they’re experiencing can be a troublesome promote.
And definitely, televised interviews with Musk, a weirdo with the persona of a moist blanket, received’t sort things, both.
