The president said this week that Social Security databases show millions of people aged above 100 years and « money is being paid to many of them. »
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has addressed claims made by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk that millions of dead people are claiming government benefits.Why It Matters
In an address to Congress on Tuesday, the president said Social Security databases show millions of people aged above 100 years and « money is being paid to many of them. »
Musk was the first to draw attention to the data, garnering intense attention and criticism in February, when he incorrectly claimed that millions of dead Americans were being paid Social Security benefits.
Newsweek has contacted Musk via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for comment outside of regular working hours.What to Know
In a statement issued on March 5, the SSA said: « The data reported in the media represent people who do not have a date of death associated with their record.
« While these people may not be receiving benefits, it is important for the agency to maintain accurate and complete records. »
Musk first made the claims that benefits are being claimed by people who should be long dead on X, formerly Twitter, in mid-February. He posted a spreadsheet of data showing « the numbers of people in each age bucket with the death field set to FALSE! »
It also included more than 10 million people listed as being above the age of 100, including one who is recorded as being between 360 and 369 years of age.
