HOLLAND, Mich. (AP) 鈥� One after another, callers on a telephone town hall with U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga pressed the Michigan Republican about possible cuts to . Among them was a retired teacher and coach from West Michigan who said he and his wife, both with disabilities, have struggled to access their benefits.
The man, identified only as Michael from Allegan, said he feared that and massive layoffs of federal workers 鈥� part of an effort by President and Department of Government Efficiency to slash government spending 鈥� will make it even harder.
鈥淲e worked our entire life,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut we can鈥檛 get any help because we can鈥檛 get through to anybody.鈥�
Huizenga pledged throughout the meeting: 鈥淟et me just reiterate, Social Security is not being touched."
Similar exchanges have played out across the political battleground of Michigan and elsewhere in the U.S. in recent days, as widespread cuts prompt fears among constituents about the popular program, which provides monthly benefits to retirees and some children. It's left Republicans scrambling to reassure voters and play down Musk's and his ability to make cuts. The GOP also has accused Democrats of 鈥渇ear-mongering" on the matter.
It's clear the issue has resonated. Of the 13 questions Huizenga took, nine were related to Social Security. In a nearby mid-Michigan district that was among the most competitive U.S. House races last year, a poll taken at the beginning of first-term GOP Rep. Tom Barrett's telephone town hall showed Social Security and Medicare as the top issue for attendees.
And at a in Asheville, North Carolina, one of the first questions Rep. Chuck Edwards fielded was on how he would 鈥渆nsure the protection of our Social Security benefits.鈥� After the question was read, the room of about 300 people erupted in applause.
While Trump has repeatedly said he 鈥渨ill not cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits,鈥� the administration has begun layoffs affecting over 10% of the Social Security Administration workforce and the closure of dozens of offices nationwide.
Musk, the world's richest man and one of Trump's most influential advisers, has called Social Security 鈥渢he biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.鈥� He hinted that it could be a primary target in his broader effort to downsize the federal government, saying in an interview on Fox Business Network that 鈥渕ost of the federal spending is entitlements鈥� and 鈥渢hat鈥檚 the big one to eliminate.鈥�
The White House insisted Musk was only referring to fraud.
Democrats, struggling for a unified message against Trump, see an opportunity. Polling indicates that cuts to Social Security would be unpopular, including within Trump鈥檚 base. A solid majority of Republicans said the U.S. is spending 鈥渢oo little鈥� on Social Security in , and only about 1 in 10 said 鈥渢oo much鈥� is being spent on the program.
In her rebuttal to Trump鈥檚 joint congressional address earlier this month, Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin warned that the president 鈥渃ould very well come after your retirement.鈥�
Potential cuts to critical government programs 鈥� such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security 鈥� brought Leslie Boyd out to listen to Edwards鈥� town hall in North Carolina on Thursday. Those programs need to be improved instead of cut, Boyd said before the event, and she hoped Edwards had 鈥渢he courage to stand up for that.鈥�
Boyd, 72, said she has some savings, but depends on Social Security.
鈥淚 paid into that my entire career," Boyd said. 鈥淚 worked from the time I was 16. I paid into that, it鈥檚 mine and I want it.鈥�
Asked about the program inside the packed meeting, Edwards began by saying 鈥淧resident Trump has made it clear鈥� before he was interrupted by jeers. He then shifted to discuss his own viewpoint on the program instead.
鈥淚鈥檓 not going to vote to dissolve your Social Security. I鈥檓 not looking to,鈥� Edwards started to say before being drowned out by shouting. He continued, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a promise that鈥檚 been made to the American people. Those folks who have worked all their life and paid into that certainly deserve to reap the rewards.鈥�
Several attendees continued to yell at Edwards, demanding he stand up to Musk.
Barrett opened a telephone town hall in his mid-Michigan district Monday night by addressing the flood of concerns over DOGE he said his office had been receiving. Barrett stressed that Musk is merely an adviser and said programs are 鈥渢emporarily paused and under review.鈥�
鈥淚 want to be very clear that this does not include Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid," he said. 鈥淎gain, this does not include Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid. It鈥檚 important to keep in mind that DOGE is only giving recommendations.鈥�
Republican leaders have cautioned lawmakers against in-person town halls, contending without offering evidence that paid activists were disrupting events.
Michigan Rep. Lisa McClain, a staunch Trump ally, claimed Democratic donors had 鈥渙rganized鈥� the disruptions.
Yet even in tightly controlled telephone town halls, where questions are often screened in advance by congressional staffers, Social Security was a top concern.
During McClain鈥檚 Monday call, a caller named Beverly, who said her handicapped son relies on Medicaid, expressed her fears: 鈥淚鈥檓 really concerned about that being cut, I guess.鈥�
鈥淟et me put your mind at ease. Do not listen to the Democrats that are fearmongering,鈥� said McClain, who represents a heavily Republican district north of Detroit. 鈥淭here are no cuts to Medicaid.鈥�
During the town hall with Huizenga, a caller named Val from Berrien County, Michigan, voiced her frustration, warning that office closures could cause some beneficiaries to 鈥渟lip through the cracks.鈥�
鈥淪uddenly they鈥檙e going to find themselves without the means to cover their housing, or the means to get the care they need or to be able to get food on the table,鈥� she said.
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Associated Press writer Makiya Seminera contributed from Asheville, N.C.
Joey Cappelletti, The Associated Press
