Matt Gaetz Wants Discussion on Raising Social Security Age

• Rep. Matt Gaetz has said he wants a discussion about raising the eligibility age for Social Security.
• The Social Security and Medicare Trustees report last month warned that Social Security will run out of cash to make full retirement payments in 2033.
• Both Democratic and Republican leaders have publicly promised not to cut benefits for Social Security or Medicare.

Rep. Matt Gaetz has said he wants a discussion about raising the eligibility age for Social Security.

"I believe that we have to have a discussion about the age—raising the age of Social Security," the Florida Republican told Steve Bannon during an appearance on the latter's show, The War Room, on Wednesday.

As they discussed proposed spending cuts, Gaetz said, "I think that that is not a likelihood with Joe Biden in the White House and a Democrat Senate. But do I believe that forever and always the age of social security will be the way it is today…."

Newsweek has contacted Gaetz's office for further comment via email.

Gaetz's comments come as Social Security and Medicare are poised to run out of funds to pay out full benefits within the next decade. The annual Social Security and Medicare Trustees report released in March warned that Social Security will not be able to make full retirement payments starting in 2033 unless Congress intervenes, while Medicare funds will be exhausted in 2031.

During his State of the Union address, President Joe Biden said some Republicans wanted to sunset the safety net programs.

That remark prompted heckling from a section of Republicans, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene who called Biden a "liar."

Days before Biden's address, Gaetz had suggested he supported cuts to the programs. "If it was Matt Gaetz, I think that we do need reforms to Social Security and Medicare," he said.

Both Democratic and Republican leaders have publicly promised not to cut benefits for Social Security or Medicare, but some Republicans have suggested raising the eligibility age.

After a clip of Gaetz's latest remarks was shared on Twitter by the @PatriotTakes account, some said raising the eligibility age was effectively the same as cuts to Social Security.

User Chris Mowrey tweeted that Greene said Biden "was a [liar] for claiming MAGA republicans want to cut social security and medicare. Yet they say it, over, and over, and over. They are dishonest."

Another user, Morgan Talley, wrote: "Now, I recall just within the last few months, that Republicans vehemently denied wanting to cut social security. Gee who could've predicted the denials were BS."

A March poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found most U.S. adults are opposed to proposals that would cut into Medicare or Social Security benefits.

According to the poll, a majority said they oppose raising the eligibility age for Social Security benefits from 67 to 70, and 7 in 10 oppose raising the eligibility age for Medicare benefits from 65 to 67.