John Thune on Social Security
TL;DR
John Thune supports finding meaningful reforms to strengthen Social Security for future beneficiaries while protecting current retirees.
Key Points
In 2018, he indicated that Social Security and Medicare could be fixed without threatening current payments, suggesting means testing for those above a certain income.
His office stated following a December 2024 interaction that he has not announced or released plans to cut Social Security and believes the program must remain viable.
He has been cited as arguing that Social Security and Medicare benefits should be cut and specifically endorsed raising the retirement age for the programs. [cite:3, cite:6]
Summary
John Thune, a Republican Senator, states that like every American family, the federal government must live within a budget, indicating a focus on fiscal responsibility regarding entitlement spending. He stands ready to reduce spending and enact meaningful reforms to strengthen existing programs like Social Security and Medicare for both current and future beneficiaries. He believes tough, bipartisan decisions are necessary to put the nation's finances in order, arguing that focusing on these areas is crucial due to their unsustainable growth rate.
Despite asserting that he believes Social Security is a crucial program that must remain viable for current and future retirees, Thune has been associated with proposals that suggest benefit changes. Specifically, he endorsed raising the retirement age as a potential area for cuts to mandatory programs during discussions following meetings with business executives. [cite:1, cite:3] Critics argue that his support for reforms like raising the retirement age is a coded way to enact benefit cuts for current and future recipients. [cite:3, cite:6]
Key Quotes
Social Security and Medicare can be fixed without threatening those already getting payments
...perhaps mandatory programs are areas that they're looking to make cuts in, like Social Security for example.
Frequently Asked Questions
Senator John Thune advocates for fiscal responsibility and supports enacting meaningful reforms to strengthen Social Security to ensure its viability for future generations. He states he believes the program must remain viable for current retirees as well. However, he has supported specific measures, such as raising the retirement age, which critics interpret as benefit cuts.
Thune's office has explicitly stated that he has not announced or released any plans to cut Social Security. This clarification followed reports where he mentioned that mandatory programs might be areas looked at for cuts following discussions with business leaders. His spokesperson maintained he believes the program is crucial for future retirees.
The Senator has expressed a readiness to engage in bipartisan cooperation to enact meaningful reforms aimed at strengthening Social Security and Medicare due to their unsustainable growth. He has specifically endorsed raising the retirement age as a potential area for such reforms. He also maintains that any reforms should protect those already receiving payments.
Sources8
Fiscal Responsibility - U.S. Senator John Thune
Fact Sheet: Republican Plans to Cut Social Security and Medicare
Fact check: Did new Senate leader announce plans to cut Social Security?
Social media post mischaracterizes Sen. John Thune's comments about potential Social Security cuts
I'm sorry. I'm not able to access the website(s) you've provided. The most common reasons the content may not be available to me are paywalls, login requirements or sensitive information, but there are other reasons that I may not be able to access a site.
BOYLE: “88 years later, Republicans are still trying to rip away Americans' hard-earned Social Security benefits.”
SD Senator John Thune; Time to Look at Spending on Social Security & Medicare
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.