By Houston Defender | Word In Black
This post was originally published on Defender Network
(WIB) – Carstell Walker Jr. did not like the direction the country was going in under the second Trump administration, especially all the talk about White House policies that potentially threatened things critical to seniors.
Walker could often be heard saying to anyone who would listen, “Trump ain’t getting nare bit of my Social Security.”
Turns out, Walker was right. He passed away on March 31 at age 87, with his Social Security intact.
But seniors still in the land of the living are, like Walker, worried about Social Security funds they worked their lives to accumulate for use during their “Golden Years.”
According to several Houston-area seniors, Social Security stability is just one of their worries about the policies and rhetoric of the current White House administration.
Health Care
House Republicans recently unveiled the cost-saving generator that’s central to President Donald Trump’s budget: $880 billion or more in cuts to Medicaid and other programs to help cover the cost of $4.5 trillion in tax breaks for billionaires.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Trump’s moves in this area would slash 8.6 million people from health care coverage over the decade.
Several Houstonians find this threat disturbing
“Working people paid for their Medicare and Medicaid. We paid that when we were working,” said 102-year-old Juanita Williams, an active usher at Wesley AME. “Now, why Trump wants to interfere with that, I don’t know. That’s going to hurt a lot of people because most of your seniors are on Medicaid and Medicare.”
“In no uncertain terms, millions of Americans will lose their health care coverage,” said Rep. Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey), cosponsor of H.R. 1902 (Social Security 2100 Act), which would provide an across-the-board benefit increase. “Hospitals will close, seniors will not be able to access the care they need and premiums will rise for millions of people if this bill passes.”
Medicaid provides nearly free health care to over 70 million Americans. According to Medicaid.gov, in October 2024, 7.2 million Americans aged 65 and older were enrolled in Medicaid.
Another Trump move, potentially bad for Black seniors, was rescinding the Biden/Harris administration’s $35 cap on insulin costs. He also rescinded Biden’s order that extended the enrollment periods for the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The Congressional Black Caucus also listed Trump’s Executive Orders #14155, withdrawing the US from the World Health Organization (WHO), and EO #14162, weakening environmental regulations, as potential problems for Black people, especially seniors.
According to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, “The U.S. withdrawal from the WHO could disproportionately impact Black communities by limiting access to global health resources, disease surveillance and public health initiatives that address racial health disparities… The rollback of environmental justice initiatives further undermines protections against environmental racism, leaving frontline communities with fewer resources to address worsening climate conditions.”
Social Security
Under Trump, potential reforms could include raising the full retirement age, altering cost-of-living adjustments or modifying payroll taxes. Over the past few years, several prominent Republicans, including former Speaker Mitch McConnell, former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, called Social Security an “entitlement program” (i.e. suggesting people are getting “free” money they did not earn). Many spoke of revamping or ending Social Security altogether.
“Trump’s policies haven’t directly affected me at this time, but the constant threat of changes to Social Security and Medicare adds daily stress,” said retiree Loretta Green. “In addition, the current investigation into United Healthcare and those big insurance companies, concerning Medicare fraud, paints a very unsteady future.”
Green, however, may be directly impacted both sooner and later. The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently cut some 7,000 jobs to align with an executive order from Trump and a proposal from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Initiatives, to broadly slash the federal workforce.
DOGE’s actions, particularly those impacting the Social Security Administration (SSA), are predicted to have a significant negative impact on seniors. Changes like eliminating phone verification and closing offices make it harder for seniors to access their benefits and services.
Such changes disproportionately affect older adults, especially Black seniors, who may lack reliable internet or have mobility issues, further exacerbating existing barriers.
Monique Morrissey, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute, says people most impacted by DOGE are those with disabilities and low-income seniors, groups that rely more heavily on in-person support. Fewer SSA staff will make it harder to come by.
“People trying to access retirement benefits will also face delays,” shared Morrissey. “Some people eligible for disability income and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will lose out permanently from service delays and disruptions in accessing these benefits.”
“So, what are people going to live off of?” asked Williams. “A lot of the people, that’s all they have to live off of is Social Security. Is [Trump] going to feed them?
“That’s the kind of stuff I’m talking about. That’s why I just can’t go along with nothing he’s doing because it seems like he’s working against all seniors, trying to take everything away from the senior. And the seniors worked for that.”
Additional Financial Issues
Jacqueline Brannon Giles, a noted mathematician and professor at Texas Southern University and Houston Community College, says Social Security fears aren’t the only things adversely affecting seniors.
The dismantling of DEI is not only impacting college-age and middle-aged Black adults.
“One of my family members was laid off, and it is important for me to share [my resources] and have what I call intergenerational support to help the next generation do well as my generation did with the help of affirmative action and DEI,” said Brannon-Giles.
Additionally, Trump’s tariff wars, according to the CBC, are impacting costs for Black people of all ages, with this reality particularly impacting seniors.
“While tariffs may encourage domestic manufacturing and potentially revive job opportunities in sectors where Black workers have historically been represented, they also risk increasing costs for Black-owned businesses, disrupting supply chains, limiting export potential and raising consumer prices—disproportionately impacting low-income Black communities and workers in retail, logistics, and transportation” (source: CBC).
DN: See how Trump policies are impacting voting and data security for Black seniors.