Trump's Social Security Fraud Claims Debunked by Data

President Trump alleged widespread fraud in Social Security payments to centenarians, but audits and officials confirm the claims are based on outdated database issues, not actual payments.

President Donald Trump claimed in a congressional address that millions of centenarians are fraudulently receiving Social Security benefits, citing data from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Audits and SSA officials clarified that the database includes individuals over 100 years old without recorded death dates due to outdated record-keeping practices, not fraudulent payments.
The SSA inspector general reported that only 44,000 individuals over 100 years old received benefits in 2023, far fewer than the millions cited by Trump.
From 2015 to 2022, improper Social Security payments accounted for less than 1% of total benefits, primarily due to overpayments rather than fraudulent claims.
Experts attribute the inflated figures to legacy software issues and incomplete death records, emphasizing that these individuals are not actively receiving benefits.