The Pew Research Center conducted a survey in 2024 that found 79% of U.S. adults said Social Security benefits shouldn’t be reduced in any way.
But the program, which marks its 90th anniversary this year, faces multiple challenges. Most significantly, the trust fund that helps pay retirement benefits is forecast to run out by the end of 2033.
The Trump administration also has made staff cuts to the Social Security Administration, the independent agency that manages the program. Those cuts reportedly have left the agency struggling to serve millions of claimants and beneficiaries. The Washington Post reported in June that the agency has stopped reporting on call wait times and other metrics that watchdogs use to track the program’s efficiency.
To read more about the Pew Center’s report, which explains how Social Security works, visit the Pew Center.
