The senator wrote on social media on Sunday that tens of thousands of people could die if the Social Security Administration staffing is cut in half.

Summary

Senator Bernie Sanders warns that Elon Musk’s plan to cut Social Security Administration staff by up to 50% could cause 37,000 additional deaths yearly among disability benefit applicants and extend average wait times to 412 days.

While the SSA clarified they’re targeting a reduction from 57,000 to 50,000 employees (not 50%, or 300,000), Republican leaders like Mike Johnson and Rick Scott have discussed “reforming” entitlement programs for long-term solvency.

This contrasts with Trump’s assurance that “Social Security won’t be touched.” Democrats argue staffing cuts effectively reduce benefits by limiting access and delaying payments for vulnerable Americans.