Trump Touts 100-Day Social Security Overhaul Amid Criticism and Musk's 'Ponzi Scheme' Jab

President Trump is celebrating his first 100 days in office with a big self-congratulatory parade over changes at the Social Security Administration (SSA). The administration is shouting from the rooftops about keeping campaign promises to protect Social Security, a topic that's always a political minefield and a favorite for critics.

Lee Dudek, the SSA’s acting commissioner, praised the team’s efforts, highlighting improvements in customer service and efforts to stop waste, fraud, and abuse. Dudek didn’t miss a chance to swipe at the previous administration, blaming it for long wait times and delays, while promising a turnaround with a focus on modern tech and stronger program oversight.

The administration claims it has made “significant strides” with the Social Security Fairness Act, including dishing out over $14.8 billion in retroactive payments to more than 2 million people affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset. If you’re not familiar with those terms, just know it’s a lot of bureaucratic jargon and even more money.

Despite pushback from Democrats—especially former President Biden, who accuses Trump’s team of plotting to cut Social Security—the White House insists their reforms are about efficiency, not slashing benefits. A White House official said the SSA has found over $1 billion in cost savings for next year alone. Breaking out the details, that means less money blown on software, travel, office supplies, and a little more elbow grease for those old tables and chairs in government buildings. The agency also switched some in-person training to online, proving even bureaucrats can Zoom.

Fraud prevention is a top priority, with the SSA rolling out new tools to catch bogus claims, even over the phone. Apparently, some records still show people celebrating birthdays well past 100. DOGE chief Elon Musk (yes, that Musk) is especially fired up about the accuracy of death data, and the administration says fixing that has finally become a "high priority." Imagine living to 159—Social Security might just outlast all of us.

Musk stirred up controversy by calling Social Security a "Ponzi scheme." While that ruffled plenty of feathers, some experts agree with his analogy, pointing out that new money pays for current recipients—a setup that does sound suspiciously familiar.