Elon Musk has asserted, without providing any evidence, that Democrats are allegedly using fraud in entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare to draw in immigrants and increase their voter base, a narrative that resonates with racist right-wing conspiracy theories.
The billionaire entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, who is known as Donald Trump’s “first buddy,” has been attempting to rationalize cuts to funding for programs such as Social Security, claiming that fraud has cost the government as much as $200 billion.
“This is why the Democrats are so agitated about the situation,” Musk stated during a podcast featuring Republican Senator Ted Cruz and radio host Ben Ferguson.
“By exploiting entitlement fraud, the Democrats have managed to attract and maintain large numbers of undocumented immigrants and secure votes. Essentially, they have brought in 10 to 20 million individuals who are dependent on government assistance and are likely to vote overwhelmingly for Democrats.”
Musk declared that his so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (Doge) aims to “terminate fraudulent entitlement payments” to “illegals,” while listing a wide array of government programs, including Social Security, Medicare, unemployment benefits, disability, and small business loans.
He then echoed sentiments similar to the “great replacement theory,” a perspective adopted by right-wing extremists that suggests native-born Americans, particularly white individuals, are being “replaced” by immigrants.
“If the Democrats can bring in 200,000 undocumented individuals and facilitate their legalization… without any cheating, if you introduce illegals whose numbers are 10 times the voting difference in a swing state, that state will cease to be a swing state,” Musk remarked. “The Democrats will dominate all swing states given enough time.”
Musk further cautioned about a “deep socialist state” that could emerge if the Democrats were to gain full control of the federal government.
“They will solidify their hold by bringing in more immigrants, making it impossible to vote your way out of it,” he warned.
In recent days, Musk’s Doge initiative has concentrated its efforts on Social Security, which Musk has branded “the largest Ponzi scheme in history,” claiming that the agency has lost billions due to fraud, although not exclusively connected to immigrants.
Musk has pointed to an alleged list of deceased individuals that he claims the agency continues to provide funds to. In a recent Fox Business interview, he stated that there are 20 million “dead people in the Social Security database.”
At least 10 employees within Doge have been specifically assigned the task of identifying individuals in the US who are deceased yet still receiving Social Security payments. Officials at the agency, including acting commissioner Lee Dudek, have clarified that the list Musk references contains individuals without recorded dates of death and do not necessarily imply they are receiving benefits.
Musk has also initiated several changes at the Social Security Administration (SSA), the body responsible for overseeing Social Security. Like various other federal agencies, SSA is currently facing workforce reductions. In February, the agency announced it would be scaling back its staffing goals to 50,000 employees, down from 57,000.
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Various government agencies have published differing estimates regarding the extent of fraud impacting government finances.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported in April that estimated fraud might range from $233 billion to $521 billion, though it notes that these figures consider pandemic-related payments that may have contributed to a “higher-risk environment” for fraudulent activity. Conversely, a report from the White House’s Office of Management and Budget found lower fraud estimates, between $4.4 billion and $7.31 billion during the same timeframe.
Regarding Social Security, the agency monitors improper payments and has indicated that 0.3% of all payments were inaccurate, primarily due to errors or delays.
The White House is trying to balance Musk’s wishes for broad cuts to entitlement programs with assurances that American citizens won’t experience any cuts themselves. Last week, the White House emphasized: “The Trump administration will not reduce Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits.”
“What kind of person opposes eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in government spending that ultimately burden taxpayers?” the statement remarked.
Recent polls indicate that more Americans support Musk’s Doge initiative than oppose it, yet Musk himself has garnered more unfavorable views among the public. According to an NBC News poll, while 46% of Americans expressed a positive view of Doge, only 39% said they had a favorable opinion of Musk. Simultaneously, 51% of the population reported holding a negative impression of him.
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