Washington, March 12 (RHC)-- Elon Musk has proposed slashing up to $700 billion from Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and programs for the poor, including unemployment insurance and food stamps. 

Musk proposed the sweeping cuts during an interview with Fox Business Network on Monday.  “Most of the federal spending is entitlements.  So, that’s like the big one to eliminate.  You know, that’s the sort of half-trillion, maybe six, seven hundred billion a year.”

Musk has repeatedly used his social media site X to promote false and baseless claims alleging widespread fraud and abuse in federal benefit programs. 

This comes after Tiffany Flick, a 30-year veteran of the Social Security Administration who resigned in February, submitted a declaration to a federal court in Maryland alleging that efforts by Musk’s DOGE operation to undermine the agency “could result in benefits payments not being paid out or delays in payments.”

In other news, President Trump has signed an executive order targeting the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, a popular student debt relief mechanism. 

The order restricts participation for borrowers and employers that the White House deems in violation of its agenda, including working with immigrants and the transgender community.  It’s also expected to target groups that defend Palestinian rights. 

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a legal expert with the American Immigration Council, said: “This is shockingly unlawful and a clear First Amendment violation.  The PSLF program provides the president no authority to restrict it to only those people who work for nonprofits whose work he supports.  Expect lawsuits within short periods of time.”

[ SOURCE: DEMOCRACY NOW ]