Social Security Commissioner Floats Retirement Age Hike, Igniting Progressive Outcry
Social Security Commissioner Floats Retirement Age Hike, Igniting Progressive Outcry
Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano, a Trump appointee, sparked immediate controversy on Friday after indicating that raising the retirement age for American workers is under consideration to bolster the program’s finances. During an interview on Fox Business, when asked by host Maria Bartiromo if he would consider such a move, Bisignano replied, “I think everything’s being considered.”
His comments drew swift and sharp criticism from progressives and advocacy groups, who condemned the potential policy shift. Social Security Works, an advocacy organization, labeled Bisignano’s statement a “betrayal of Trump’s campaign promise to protect Social Security,” highlighting that a one-year increase in the retirement age effectively translates to a 7% cut in benefits.
The statement directly contradicts President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign pledge where he vowed, “I will not cut one penny from Social Security or Medicaid and I will not raise the retirement age by one day.”
Former US Labor Secretary Robert Reich also rebuked Bisignano, proposing an alternative solution: “Instead of raising the retirement age, we should scrap the Social Security tax cap,” arguing for higher contributions from top earners. Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) linked the discussion to recent Republican-passed tax cuts, stating, “Republicans gave away trillions in tax cuts for the wealthy. Now they are asking Americans to work longer. We won’t stand for it.” The United Auto Workers union delivered a concise, powerful response: “Hell no!”
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