Donald Trump is backing a proposed rule change in Washington that could cut monthly Supplemental Security Income payments by about $330 for some low‑income Americans, potentially affecting 275,000 people across the country as early as next year, according to US Social Security Administration estimates. The plan targets a Biden-era protection in the SSI system and would particularly hit disabled adults and older people who live with family members and rely on both cash benefits and food aid to get by.
SSI is the lesser‑known arm of the US Social Security system, created by Congress in 1972 to support people with little income or financial resources, including low‑income seniors and people with disabilities. The first payments were issued in January 1974. As of April 2026, roughly 7.34 million people were receiving SSI, and most of them were under 65. The programme is separate from standard retirement benefits and was designed as a safety net of last resort. It is that safety net that Trump's proposed rule now threatens to pull tighter.
