2024 US Elections: Republican Candidates' Stand on Social Security Benefits

Former President Donald Trump has rejected the claim that Social Security will need to undergo significant changes if he wins the next election.

While there has been talk about the future of the program for several years due to its costly nature, experts have noted that its reserves are slowly being depleted. In fact, it is projected that the program could be insolvent by 2033 if no immediate action is taken, as per Newsweek.

Social Security Funding

Social Security To Increase Payments By Largest Amount In 40 Years

(Photo : Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 14: In this photo illustration, a Social Security card sits alongside checks from the U.S. Treasury on October 14, 2021 in Washington, DC. The Social Security Administration announced recipients will receive an annual cost of living adjustment of 5.9%, the largest increase since 1982. The larger increase is aimed at helping to offset rising inflation.

To address this issue, Trump has pledged to expand oil and gas drilling in remote areas of Alaska. During a recent interview with Fox News Sean Hannity, he promised to reverse President Joe Biden's decision to cancel oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge if he wins the election. Trump believes that the revenue generated from the expansion of fossil fuel production will be enough to provide for Social Security benefits.

However, expanding drilling leases would only bring in about $1.8 billion over a decade, which is drastically less than the $1.4 trillion that Social Security benefits are estimated to pay out this year alone.

While Social Security benefits are a major source of income for US taxpayers over the age of 65, the program's future is uncertain. The Social Security trust fund is projected to become insolvent by 2033 without further action, which will reduce payments to recipients to approximately 75% of current levels.

These potential cuts in Social Security payments in the next decade have sparked conversations about changing the program. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has said he would consider changes to Social Security only for younger adults, while former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has proposed increasing the retirement age for future generations.

Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has suggested heavy reduction measures, including eliminating government agencies and cutting the number of federal employees by 75%, to fund Social Security, according to Yahoo News.

Social Security Proposals

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has said his administration would follow in the footsteps of former President Ronald Reagan by creating a commission to make recommendations to Congress on the future of Social Security.

However, Trump strongly opposes altering Social Security and has accused his Republican rivals of wanting to play around with the program. He believes that the wealth generated from expanding drilling leases in Alaska is enough to address the program's costs. By touting the benefits of fossil fuel production as an answer to the Social Security issue, Trump is highlighting important issues that Republican primary voters care about.

Still, with such a vast gap between what fossil fuel production can realistically offer and the cost of payments towards Social Security, it remains unclear what action will be taken to address the future of the program.

As the Republican primary debate approaches, Trump's absence on the stage could mean a shift in the conversation about how to address future funding for Social Security without his influence.

The divisions over Social Security policy will certainly be a key issue in the coming months as candidates express their opinions and solutions. With national polls indicating that Trump leads by 47.8 percentage points, his rivals will need to find effective ways to engage voters if they hope to successfully address this contentious issue and gain momentum ahead of the election, USA Today reported.