President Donald Trump is under renewed scrutiny over his stance on Social Security, as recent reports have reignited concerns about his openness to raising the retirement age and breaking past promises not to cut benefits or change funding formulas.
Retirement Age Debate Resurfaces
According to a widely circulated report from Spanish-language outlet Union Rayo, Trump is reportedly reconsidering changes to Social Security’s full retirement age.
While no official policy proposal has been released, the suggestion of increasing the retirement age from 65 to 67 has triggered alarm among seniors and policy advocates alike.
The source of the controversy appears to be a resurfaced conversation from earlier in Trump’s political career, where he indicated that increasing the retirement age “might be something to look at.”
Those statements have been amplified in 2025 amid growing concerns about the long-term solvency of the Social Security trust fund.
Raising the full retirement age would effectively reduce benefits for future retirees—forcing Americans to work longer or accept smaller monthly payments if they retire earlier.
A Broken Promise on Social Security Taxes?
At the heart of the criticism is Trump’s long-standing pledge not to cut Social Security.
But a new HuffPost report reveals that in 2020, Trump’s administration quietly proposed eliminating the payroll tax that funds both Social Security and Medicare—a move experts say would have gutted the program’s finances unless another funding mechanism replaced it.
In August 2020, Trump signed a temporary payroll tax deferral during the COVID-19 pandemic and promised that, if re-elected, he would “terminate the payroll tax.”
That statement directly contradicted his repeated assurances that Social Security would remain untouched.
Experts were quick to point out that removing payroll taxes without an immediate and permanent funding replacement would undermine the Social Security program within just a few years.
“If the payroll tax is eliminated, Social Security will no longer have a dedicated funding source,” warned the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities at the time.
Political Fallout
Trump’s inconsistent messaging—publicly defending Social Security during rallies while entertaining reforms behind closed doors—has fueled distrust from both sides of the political aisle.
Democrats have seized on the issue, portraying Trump as a threat to retirement security.
Meanwhile, some conservatives are divided: fiscal hawks want entitlement reform to rein in federal spending, while populists warn that any cuts to Social Security could cost the GOP its strongest voting bloc—seniors.
Critics argue that increasing the retirement age would disproportionately impact low-income workers and those in physically demanding jobs.
“Working people who rely on every dollar of Social Security can’t just wait two more years,” said Max Richtman, president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.
No Formal Plan—Yet
While Trump has not officially endorsed a change to the retirement age or renewed his payroll tax proposal, the speculation alone has reignited public concern.
For now, Social Security remains fully funded through 2034, according to the latest trustees’ report—but any policy changes over the next several years could determine whether that timeline improves or accelerates the risk of automatic benefit cuts.
Bottom Line For Seniors
If you’re nearing retirement or already receiving Social Security, stay informed. What happens in Washington this week could impact your future.
Stay tuned to FingerLakes1.com for daily updates on Social Security news, policy changes, and payment schedules.
This content is brought to you by the FingerLakes1.com Team. Support our mission by visiting www.patreon.com/fl1 or learn how you send us your local content here.