If the Trump administration wants to blame its predecessor for long wait times at the Social Security Administration, it might have a decent argument.
Under President Joe Biden, the agency already had historically low staffing levels, which meant it took longer for beneficiaries to get help by phone, email or even in person.
But that’s not the argument the Trump administration made.
When asked by USA Today to respond to a report about long wait times and other delays for benefits, a spokesperson for acting Social Security Commissioner Lee Dudek blamed Biden, citing the agency’s prior work-from-home policy and “advancing radical DEI and gender ideology over improving service for all Americans.”
In fact, the Trump administration has made delays worse by offering buyouts, changing data and issuing constantly changing directives that panicked Social Security recipients so much that some began taking benefits early.
Blaming DEI has become a pattern for the Trump administration. After a midair plane crash in Washington in Janaury, Donald Trump rushed to blame the crash on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk blamed the California wildfires on DEI. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blamed it for undermining the “warrior ethos of our military.” Trump has even blamed DEI for concerns about college accreditation. DEI has become a scapegoat of convenience for the Trump administration, especially when the problem is being caused by its own policies. It’s a political argument, made for the benefit of Trump’s largely white and male base. But when those arguments start to be made by the people in charge of making sure the checks go out on time, it’s a bad sign. Subscribe here to receive weekly updates on and expert insight into the key issues and figures defining Trump’s second term.
Ryan Teague Beckwith is a newsletter editor for MS NOW.
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