Howard Lutnick Pummeled Over Social Security ‘Fraudster’ Comments

• Howard Lutnick is going through backlash for dismissing considerations over missed Social Safety checks.
• A former Social Safety commissioner known as his feedback “cavalier disregard” and “utter ignorance.”
• Lutnick’s feedback are a focus at rallies that protest the shuttering of SSA area places of work.

Howard Lutnick, the billionaire Secretary of Commerce, is being pummeled on-line over his feedback on Thursday that his 94-year-old mother-in-law wouldn’t complain a couple of missed Social Safety test and that somebody who would is a “fraudster.”

“As an example Social Safety did not ship out their checks this month — my mother-in-law, who’s 94, she would not name and complain,” Lutnick instructed All-In Podcast host Chamath Palihapitiya. “A fraudster at all times makes the loudest noise, screaming, yelling, and complaining.”

Based mostly on a truth sheet printed by the Social Safety Administration, greater than 7 million Individuals 65 and older obtain a minimum of 90% of their earnings from advantages checks.

Social Safety staff have been warning that the Trump administration’s plan to chop 7,000 SSA workers will lead to delayed profit checks and will lengthen the wait time by two to a few occasions.

In accordance with the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, Lutnick’s web value was a minimum of $2.2 billion as of February 2025.

Under are reactions to Lutnick’s feedback from distinguished enterprise leaders, commentators, and political leaders. Howard Lutnick and the Division of Commerce didn’t reply to requests for feedback.

Mark Cuban

In a publish on Bluesky, Cuban reposted a screenshot of a information article about Lutnick’s feedback on missed Social Safety checks and requested, “Has Howard Lutnick finished something of worth as Commerce Secretary?”

The fact present billionaire, who identifies as an unbiased in politics, congratulated Trump for profitable the election in November and, in a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, known as his affiliation with the President a “love-hate relationship.”

Martin O’Malley, former Maryland Governor and SSA Commissioner

“Social Safety is a lifeline to tens of millions of Individuals,” O’Malley stated Friday evening on The Rachel Maddow Present. “40% of seniors dwelling alone rely totally on Social Safety to maintain themselves out of poverty.”

“The cavalier disregard, utter ignorance of how so many Individuals reside on a day-to-day foundation, is gorgeous, is appalling, and is a cruel-heartedness on the heart of our authorities that we have by no means seen earlier than,” he added.

Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Lecturers

On the Palms Off Social Safety rally in White Plains, New York, the place the Trump administration is ready to shutter a Social Safety workplace, Weingarten, president of the second largest instructor’s labor union, started her speech by vowing that “the individuals will win” over Elon Musk and Lutnick.

“We did not vote for Elon Musk to name Social Safety a Ponzi scheme,” she stated. “We did not vote for Howard Lutnick to say, ‘Oh don’t fret, no aged individuals, together with my mom, would care if they do not get their checks from Social Safety.'”

Jim Clyburn, Congressman

In a publish on X, Clyburn, consultant of South Carolina’s sixth congressional district, wrote that “the billionaires within the Trump administration don’t know what it is wish to depend on Social Safety earned by way of a lifetime of arduous, trustworthy work.”

The publish additionally includes a now-viral clip of Lutnick’s feedback on the All-In Podcast, the place present hosts Chamath Palihapitiya and David Friedberg didn’t instantly dispute him on the spot.

Rachel Maddow

The longtime MSNBC host performed a video of Lutnick’s Social Safety feedback on the All-In Podcast, and stated it “is such a political catastrophe” she nearly needed to shut her eyes as a result of she “cannot bear to look at it.”

“How does that comport with what you perceive of the fact of getting a Social Safety test, and who in your life will get a Social Safety test?” she requested earlier than taking part in Lutnick’s clip for the second time.

In accordance with TV Insider, The Rachel Maddow Present averaged greater than 1.7 million whole viewers in primetime in January and has remained probably the most in style exhibits on MSNBC for years.

Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Chief

Schumer reposted Lutnick’s now notorious clip from the All-In Podcast on X and known as the Secretary of Commerce “an out-of-touch billionaire” who’s “clueless or heartless.”

“Howard Lutnick doesn’t perceive what a missed Social Safety test means to a senior on a set earnings,” he added.

Schumer has not too long ago confronted criticism from Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that he is not doing sufficient to struggle Republican insurance policies over his resolution to vote for the Home GOP funding invoice to avert a authorities shutdown.

Ben Collins, CEO of The Onion

Collins, the CEO of the satirical information web site, posted on Bluesky a hypothetical response from Lutnick to an individual in want, in distinction to how he hypothetically would react to an AI protection contractor asking $10 billion.

“80-year-old, ravenous to loss of life: cash? for meals please?

lutnick: avast, grifter!

protection contractor who met Peter Thiel as soon as and makes AI bazookas that shoot stray canine on sight: I would like $10 billion… for causes

lutnick: say much less sir, sure sir, proper this fashion sir”