Elon Musk has said that Social Security benefits could increase as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) continues its investigations into the Social Security Administration (SSA). Social Security benefits are paid monthly,

Elon Musk falsely claimed there were tens of millions of people aged 100-159 still receiving Social Security benefits.

It is true that improper payments have been made—including some to dead people—but the claims thrown out by Elon Musk and Donald Trump are overstated.

Ronald Gunia, a retired longtime director in the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General who worked on the 2015 and 2023 reports, said that incomplete data can increase chances for fraud, and that Musk was correct to highlight data problems that remain unresolved despite years of audits.

President Donald Trump incorrectly interpreted data shared by Elon Musk when he misleadingly claimed on Feb. 18 that “millions and millions of people over 100 years old” may be receiving improper benefits from Social Security.

Before President Donald Trump started mass layoffs of federal workers, he demonized them, arguing, despite evidence to the contrary, that most of them never went into the office.

DOGE gaining entry to the Social Security database has raised fears the unofficial agency could alter records and cause delays for recipients.