Former US President Joe Biden has harshly criticized the first steps of the Donald Trump administration, accusing it of causing serious damage to the social support system for Americans. Speaking at the national Conference of Advocates, Consultants, and Representatives of Persons with Disabilities (ACRD), Biden focused on the problems faced by seniors, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups who depend on government benefits. According to him, the actions of the new government in less than 100 days have led to unprecedented risks for the social system created under Franklin Roosevelt 90 years ago.

Biden stressed that for the first time in decades, Americans are facing the threat of delays or complete cessation of social benefits, which have remained stable even during wars and pandemics. He expressed concern about the situation of single pensioners and other citizens for whom government support is the only source of income. According to the former president, Trump's plans to reduce bureaucracy and government spending put millions of families at risk, creating the risk of a humanitarian catastrophe. Biden also said that the administration has already fired 7 Social Security employees, including experienced specialists, and intends to continue the cuts, which could paralyze the agency's work.

Biden's criticism comes amid growing concerns among Democrats who fear that Trump's reforms will undermine the foundations of US social policy. According to The Washington Post, the Trump administration has launched a major overhaul of the federal bureaucracy since January 2025, aimed at cutting costs and streamlining government agencies. One of the first steps was to cut staff in a number of agencies, including the Social Security Administration (SSA), which serves about 70 million Americans receiving pensions, disability benefits, and Medicare. According to Reuters, the layoffs affected not only administrative staff, but also claim processing specialists, which has already led to delays in payments in some states.

Trump's policies have sparked heated debate. As CNN notes, Republicans justify the cuts by the need to fight "bloated bureaucracy" and reallocate the budget to priority areas such as national security and economic development. At the same time, according to The New York Times, public sector unions and advocacy organizations warn that mass layoffs could lead to the collapse of the system, especially for senior citizens and low-income people. In early March 2025, the National Association of Retired Persons (AARP) reported that more than 20% of benefit applications were being processed with delays, and in some cases, payments were suspended due to staff shortages.