2024 presidential candidates on Social Security

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This page includes statements from the 2024 presidential candidates on Social Security. These statements were compiled from each candidate's official campaign website, editorials, speeches, and debates.

The candidates featured on this page were the noteworthy Democratic and Republican candidates in the 2024 presidential election. Only candidates who addressed this page's issue on their campaign website, in public statements, or in public speeches have a quote featured on this page. See something we missed? Email us. The active noteworthy presidential candidates as of November 5, 2025, were:

Kamala Harris (D)
Donald Trump (R)
Chase Oliver (L)
Jill Stein (G)

Social Security

Democratic candidates

Kamala D. Harris

Harris' campaign website said, "Vice President Harris will protect Social Security and Medicare against relentless attacks from Donald Trump and his extreme allies. She will strengthen Social Security and Medicare for the long haul by making millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share in taxes. She will always fight to ensure that Americans can count on getting the benefits they earned." ^{[source, as of 2024-09-09]}

Dean Phillips

Phillips' campaign website said, "Dean understands that we must work in a bipartisan fashion to ensure that the elements of a secure retirement are protected, including Social Security and Medicare. That is why he has supported Congressional action to create commissions that would provide recommendations for balanced action to make these federal programs solvent into the future, while also acknowledging the need to enhance benefits for retirees." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Marianne Williamson

Williamson's campaign website said, "Social Security has worked well for generations to reduce poverty among seniors and the disabled. It is under attack today by Wall Street banks and related financial “service” entities who want to privatize it for no other reason than to tap into another new and huge source of income and bonuses. Under no circumstances should we put Social Security at risk. We need to protect this successful and compassionate program that retiring Americans have relied on for nearly eighty-five years" ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Republican candidates

Ryan Binkley

Binkley's campaign website said, “We must save Social Security. Social Security is projected to be insolvent by 2033. Social Security, technically, has two trust funds: the Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) trust fund for retirees and survivors, and the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) trust fund for disabled workers. Those trust funds on a combined basis will be exhausted in 10 years. If that happens, full benefits cannot be paid when they are due – it is estimated that will be a 20 percent cut. Politicians have been irresponsibly ignoring this issue for decades, but it can be ignored no longer. I won’t ignore it. I will peg Social Security to the growth in GDP over the next seven years; growth will be capped at two percent and in no instance will spending drop below zero.” ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Ron DeSantis

DeSantis said, "What I’d say to seniors at America, promise made, promise kept. I understand what you’re going through with the rising prices and you need that Social Security check. So we’ll make sure to get that done. What can you do to help shore up Social Security? One of the things that’s causing problems is the inflation. We have to reduce inflation. When you have higher inflation, the seniors get a cost of living adjustment, which means the program’s spending more, but it doesn’t cover the increase in the actual inflation rate. We also do need to get to at least 3% growth, you’re never going to be able to have issues be able to solve the budget without that. But I would note this, Congress for decades took money from Social Security. Social Security would have more tax revenue than it put out. They would take it and then they’d write an IOU to Social Security. Congress has a lot of dirty hands on this." ^{[source, as of 2023-11-08]}

Nikki Haley

In an op-ed Haley wrote, "If we do nothing, Social Security will face cuts in 10 years and Medicare in eight. I will keep these programs the same for anyone who’s in or nearing retirement. To protect these programs for the next generation, I’ll limit benefits for wealthy people, raise the retirement age for younger people just entering the system, expand Medicare Advantage and increase competition." ^{[source, as of 2023-09-25]}

Asa Hutchinson

Hutchinson listed the following policy on his campaign website, "Establish a Commission for the Future of Medicare and Social Security, through executive order and with Congressional support. These two funds are in jeopardy of going bankrupt within the next decade. This commission will make recommendations to Congress to assure the programs for our citizens and make necessary reforms to protect them for future generations. My commitment is to safeguard the interests of our senior citizens and secure the long-term sustainability of these vital programs." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-21]}

Vivek Ramaswamy

In a Republican debate, Ramaswamy said, "We’re working within the last window I believe we will have, to actually fix this problem while still leaving Social Security and Medicare benefits for current seniors intact. I’ll tell you how. [...] You go to zero based budgeting which I’ve proposed. As a CEO, it’s how I’ve run businesses, it’s how many CEOs run businesses. Don’t use last year’s budget as the baseline. Start with zero as the baseline and then ask what’s actually necessary. 75% headcount reduction? Yes, that is severe. In the number of federal employees in the Washington DC bureaucracy. Shut down redundant agencies that should not exist. Deliver economic growth as a positive tailwind. I think we can get to three, four, maybe even 5% GDP growth if we really take the regulatory shackles off of our economy." ^{[source, as of 2023-11-08]}

Donald Trump

Trumps campaign website said, "Under no circumstances should Republicans vote to cut a single penny from Medicare or Social Security. Republicans shouldn’t punish seniors to fund Biden’s spending spree. Biden has blown out the federal budget and wasted trillions of dollars. While we must stop Biden’s out-of-control spending, bureaucrats in Washington should feel the pain, not hard-working Americans." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-21]}