Ron DeSantis Issues Social Security Warning

Republican presidential candidate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during a campaign event at McDivot’s Indoor Sports Pub on January 07, 2024 in Grimes, Iowa. DeSantis recently blamed "fake" disabilities for defrauding the Social Security program.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently voiced his suspicion that many Social Security beneficiaries on disability might be defrauding the program with "fake" claims.

While speaking at an event in Iowa on Sunday, where the Republican governor has staked his presidential ambitions, DeSantis was asked by a member of the audience about the distressing conditions faced by many individuals on disability, some of whom are at risk of suicide.

DeSantis said he has sympathy for people with disabilities, but differentiated between Social Security beneficiaries whom he deems have legitimate claims and those with "fake" disabilities who could work instead of receiving benefits.

"In terms of disability, you know, you can be disabled partially and maybe its good if you want to maybe work and earn some income, but I think it's a fine line of some people who would kind of fake being disabled, then work," DeSantis said, during the town hall event in Grimes, Iowa.

"I do think that if somebody has a disability and it prevents them from reaching their full potential and they're eligible [for Social Security benefits], fine," he added. "But if, then they can do some type of employment that could supplement, you know, I don't think that that would be a bad thing and I think that's a good incentive."

DeSantis shared a video of the entire speaking engagement in Grimes on X, formerly known as Twitter, the same platform he used to announce his presidential bid last year.

The presidential hopeful also said "there's a lot of fraud in the program" and he thinks that's been "a huge issue" for Social Security, with many exploiting the program.

"I remember seeing instances where people were getting, you know, kind of top of the line as much disability as possible and then someone would get suspicious. They look. This guy is like, you know, a roofer like, he's doing all right. Well, I mean, either you're disabled or you're not. So there has been a big problem with fraud," he said.

While right-leaning politicians and news media often complain about fraudulent claims made to Social Security, the former Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Michael J. Astrue said last year that less than 1 percent of disability claims are fraudulent.

Comments overestimating the amount of fraudulent claims within the Social Security program undermine the SSA's efficiency in screening such attempts to rig the system and encourage voters to back politicians who want to cut benefits.

During his campaign for Congress in 2012, DeSantis expressed support for privatizing Social Security, as well as Medicare, and raising the retirement age. Last year, the Florida governor distanced himself from this position, saying he now wouldn't "mess with Social Security."

Newsweek contacted DeSantis' spokesperson and the Social Security Administration for comment by email on Monday.

On Sunday, DeSantis also dismissed rumors that he might drop out of the Republican primary race if he loses to Trump in Iowa. According to the latest polling compiled by FiveThirtyEight, the Florida governor was trailing Trump with 12.1 percent of the vote compared to the former president's 61.8 percent, as of January 7.

The margin between the two candidates was slightly smaller in Iowa, where Trump was estimated to have 50 percent of the vote and DeSantis 18.4 percent.

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