Former President Biden gives 1st public remarks since leaving office in Chicago

the former President Joe Biden just wrapped up speaking about 20 minutes ago he spoke in front of several hundred people his speech lasted approximately 30 minutes he talked in front of a national conference organized by a group that supports people who depend on Social Security benefits and disability services his appearance here at the Sofatel Hotel in the Mag his first in Chicago since leaving the White House social Security is more than a government program it's a sacred promise we made today sacred promise former President Biden taking the stage to defend the long-standing benefits provided by the Social Security Administration in light of President Donald Trump's cuts to the federal government Democrats suggest Social Security is under a serious threat they want to wreck it so they can rob it why do they want to rob it in order to deliver huge tax cuts to billionaires and big corporations and keep it going the former president has been quiet in the first few months of his post presidency despite near daily criticism from President Donald Trump earlier today Trump's press secretary Caroline Levit defended his stance on social security despite Democrats sounding the alarm on the closing of Social Security offices longer wait times and accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities president Trump uh is absolutely certain about protecting Social Security benefits for law-abiding taxpaying American citizens and seniors who have paid into this program and yet the Trump administration's actions say otherwise according to former commissioner of the Social Security Administration Martin Omali he estimates twothirds of the AY's senior executive leaders have either quit or have been paid to quit in addition to the planned workforce reduction of 7,000 agency employees i truly believe that they have done such damage to this agency in such a short period of time that we're likely to see the first benefit interruptions that this agency's ever ever seen ali says roughly 73 million Americans are beneficiaries of social security former President Biden as you just heard there referring to Social Security as a sacred promise the Trump administration maintains the job cuts at the agency remain about government efficiency while Democrats say the very benefits are at stake