Biden hits out at Trump as he accuses president of 'taking a hatchet' to Social Security in first post-presidential speech
16 April 2025, 11:17
Former US president Joe Biden has hit out against Donald Trump for his slew of federal cuts.
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In his first public address since Trump's inauguration, Biden took aim at Elon Musk's new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). He argued that Trump had endangered millions of Americans who rely on Social Security.
"In fewer than 100 days, this new administration has done so much damage and so much destruction," Biden said.
"It's kind of breathtaking it can happen that soon. They've taken a hatchet to the Social Security Administration."
Since January, DOGE has slashed more than 7,000 employees from the Social Security Administration - but Biden said Musk is ready to "push thousands more out the door".
The cuts come amid a wider push by the Trump administration to massively downsize the federal government.
Biden then speculated that Trump is downsizing government so he can "rob" it, in a tech-style smash and grab.
"You've got to ask yourself: Why is this happening? Why are these guys taking aim at Social Security now? Well, they're following that old line from tech startups. The quote is, 'Move fast. Break things," he said.
"They're certainly breaking things. They're shooting first and aiming later. The result is a lot of needless pain and sleepless nights.
"They want to wreck it so they can rob it."
Democrats have increasingly focused on Trump's turbulent leadership over the popular government agency which provides benefits to more than 70 million Americans.
Both parties expect Social Security to emerge as a key issue in next year's mid-term elections.
Speaking before a crowd of roughly 200 people, Biden largely stuck to his prepared remarks but also rambled at times as he told stories about growing up with working-class people.
He referred to the Republican president only as "this guy".
Trump, by contrast, continues to blame Biden for many of the nation's problems and often attacks his predecessor by name.
Conservatives immediately seized upon a reference by Biden to the country's political divisions as an attack on Trump's supporters.
"We can't go on like this as a divided nation, as divided as we are," Biden said. "As I said, I've been doing this a long time. It's never been this divided. Granted, it's roughly 30%, but it's a 30% that has no heart."
A Biden spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for clarification about who Biden was referencing.
Earlier in the day, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took a shot at the former president's age and fitness when asked about Biden's appearance.
"I'm shocked that he is speaking at night-time," Ms Leavitt said during Tuesday's White House press briefing.
"I thought his bedtime was much earlier than his speech tonight."
The Social Security Administration pushed back against Biden's remarks using its official X account.
"Former President Joe Biden is lying to Americans," the agency wrote.