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GOP Representative Suggests Medicare and Social Security for Efficiency Review
Rep. Mark Alford (R-Mo.) has suggested that Medicare and Social Security could be reviewed as part of the cost-cutting initiatives under President-elect Trump’s newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
During an interview on Fox Business Network’s Mornings with Maria, Alford discussed potential budget reduction strategies being explored by the GOP. He revealed that party members recently met with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who have been appointed by Trump to lead the DOGE effort, to brainstorm ideas to address the federal budget deficit.
Alford expressed urgency about tackling the nation’s fiscal challenges, stating, “We’re currently $36 trillion in debt, and the interest on that debt is surpassing what we’ll spend on the National Defense Authorization Act this year. This is simply unsustainable.”
To address the issue, Alford emphasized the need for broad spending cuts, including a review of discretionary spending and long-term adjustments to major programs like Medicare and Social Security. He clarified, however, that these changes wouldn’t impact current beneficiaries or those who have paid into the system.
“There’s waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare that we can eliminate to redirect funds back into the treasury,” Alford explained. He also suggested potential changes to Social Security, noting that as people are living longer and retiring later, “we could look at gradually adjusting the retirement age.”
While these proposals aim to balance the budget, Alford’s comments reflect a contentious topic likely to spark debate about the future of these critical programs.