Enough already with the political ads telling senior citizens that we need to be “protected” from President Trump’s Social Security cuts.
As a senior citizen and a Massachusetts voter who has been unenrolled for several years, I am tired of being treated as though the words “Social Security” and “Trump cuts” are enough to scare me into voting for a Democratic candidate. I am not a Democrat or a Republican. I look at the candidates, their records and policies, and make up my own mind.
So if you want my vote, give me the facts. Exactly what Social Security benefit did President Trump cut? How much was my monthly Social Security check reduced? When did it happen? Show me the number.
There is an important distinction between changes to the Social Security Administration and actual cuts to Social Security benefits. Those things are being conveniently blurred together in these advertisements.
Yes, there have been staffing and customer-service changes and a transition away from paper checks. Those policies can be debated. There have also been efforts to improve program integrity by correcting records involving people who have died, recovering improper payments, and preventing benefits from going to people who are not legally eligible.
But stopping an improper payment is not cutting a senior citizen’s earned benefit. Correcting a record of someone who has died is not cutting a retiree’s monthly check. Making sure ineligible people don’t receive benefits is not the same as cutting benefits for people who earned them.
The Social Security Administration’s 2026 Trustees report says the retirement trust fund is projected to pay 100% of scheduled benefits through the fourth quarter of 2032. After that, continuing revenue would cover approximately 78% of scheduled benefits unless Congress acts.
That is a serious problem. But it is a long-term financing problem, not evidence that President Trump has already cut today’s retirees’ Social Security checks.
And if we are going to talk about what Trump has actually done regarding Social Security, let’s talk about all of it.
The Social Security Fairness Act, signed in January 2025, repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset. That increased benefits for eligible public servants, including certain teachers, firefighters and police officers whose benefits had previously been reduced because they also received pensions from work not covered by Social Security. That doesn’t sound like a Social Security cut to me.
Trump also promised to eliminate federal taxes on Social Security benefits. He didn’t accomplish that promise. Instead, the new law provides a temporary additional senior deduction of up to $6,000 per eligible person, or $12,000 for a qualifying married couple. It is temporary and has limitations. Those are legitimate things to criticize.
But let’s criticize what actually happened rather than pretending seniors’ Social Security checks have been cut.
That is what bothers me most about these advertisements. Politicians know Social Security is enormously important to older Americans. They know seniors worry about whether their benefits will be there for the rest of their lives. So what better way to get our votes than to suggest that the other major political party is coming after our money?
It’s an old political trick: frighten people first. Explain the facts later — or never.
We know Social Security has a long-term funding problem, and we know Congress must deal with it. So here’s what I want from candidates who tell me they will “protect Social Security”: Tell me how.
Will you raise payroll taxes? Increase the amount of income subject to Social Security taxes? Change benefits for future retirees? Change the retirement age? Reduce benefits for wealthier retirees?
Those are legitimate questions.
If there has been a cut, show me the cut. If Trump’s policies have made Social Security’s finances worse, show me the numbers. If you have a plan to make Social Security financially secure for the next generation, show me the plan.
I have worked, paid taxes and paid into Social Security. I don’t need a politician to frighten me into voting for him. I need him or her to respect me enough to tell me the truth.
Stop using seniors as political props. Stop trying to scare us. Show us the facts. Show us the numbers. Show us your plan. Then — and only then — ask for our votes.
We are seniors, not suckers.
Rachel J. Roy lives in Turners Falls.