Since being inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2025, Trump has signed an executive order that directs government agencies to reduce their staff and cut costs. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is expected to reduce its staff by 7,000 workers to 50,000, as well as shutter some of its locations.

The two maintain that they won’t attack the program, but their repeated claims of rampant fraud serve a strategic purpose.

Chris LaCivita, a top adviser to President Donald Trump, insists that Elon Musk will not cut Social Security in his pursuit to limit government because Musk is “not president” and therefore “doesn’t get to make those decisions.