At a packed White House event celebrating his domestic agenda, U.S. President Donald Trump made a bold—and inaccurate claim about his proposed “Big, Beautiful Bill,” stating it includes a provision to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits. However, fact-checkers and policy experts quickly flagged that the bill does no such thing.
“We will deliver no taxes on Social Security for our great seniors,” Trump told an enthusiastic audience gathered in the White House East Room, which included Cabinet members and individuals handpicked by the administration to highlight the bill’s perceived benefits.
But the claim doesn’t hold up. Despite repeating it several times, no such provision exists in the legislation currently under consideration. According to policy experts and a real-time AI fact checker, the bill contains no language about removing taxes from Social Security checks.
Experts say this is not just a minor omission — it would have been procedurally impossible to include. Under the Senate’s budget reconciliation process, which allows fiscal legislation to pass with a simple majority, any major changes to Social Security are prohibited.
This restriction is known as the Byrd Rule, named after the late Senator Robert Byrd, which prevents “extraneous” provisions in reconciliation bills, including significant alterations to Social Security benefits or funding. “If Trump had included Social Security in the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill,’ it would have violated Senate procedure and been ruled out of order,” noted legal analysts.
Additionally, economic analysts point out that eliminating taxes on Social Security benefits would drastically reduce federal revenue. The Penn Wharton Budget Model estimates such a measure would cost the government between $1.5 and $1.6 trillion over the next decade — a price tag that has reportedly caused hesitation even among Republican lawmakers.
Trump has been pushing hard to fast-track the bill, aiming to sign it into law by July 4. Earlier this week, he met with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and has been lobbying senators individually to rally support. However, progress has been slow. GOP lawmakers continue to struggle with the bill’s Medicaid provider tax overhaul, a key component of the legislation.
The Senate parliamentarian recently ruled that the proposed changes violate procedural rules, delivering a serious blow to Republican hopes for quick passage. House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican leaders are continuing negotiations, but the bill’s path forward remains uncertain.
Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin acknowledged the uphill battle, predicting it would require “a mass arm-twisting.” Democrats remain unified in opposition, leaving little margin for error in the narrowly divided Senate.