The White House deleted a tweet Wednesday that bragged about a bump in social security checks after fact checkers called them out for the faulty narrative.
The White House tweeted that “seniors are getting the biggest increase in their Social Security checks in 10 years through President Biden’s leadership.”
Seniors are getting the biggest increase in their Social Security checks in 10 years through President Biden’s leadership.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 1, 2022
Twitter added a fact check to the tweet, noting that while Seniors will receive an increase in their social security benefits, it’s “due to the annual cost of living adjustment, which is based on the inflation rate.”
CNN’s fact-checker Daniel Dale called the White House’s claim “quite the spin.”
“The size of Social Security checks is linked, by law, to inflation. This year’s increase is unusually big because the inflation rate is unusually big.”
That’s quite the spin. The size of Social Security checks is linked, by law, to inflation (https://t.co/InySftYUDM). This year’s increase is unusually big because the inflation rate is unusually big. https://t.co/cRO83KIsHW
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) November 2, 2022
Former President Richard Nixon signed a law into place in 1972 that granted automatic benefit adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index.
Inflation increased 0.4% in September from August while core inflation rose 6.6% year-over-year. (RELATED: Psaki Says There Was ‘Not A Lot Democrats Could Have Done’ With Inflation)
The Social Security Administration announced that supplemental income benefits, which are paid to beneficiaries in addition to their regular benefits to offset inflation and other unexpected costs, would increase by 8.7%. This would increase benefits by approximately $140 per month for most beneficiaries beginning in January.
CEO of the American Association of Retired Persons Jo Ann Jenkins said “the guaranteed benefits provided by Social Security, including the annual cost of living adjustment, are more crucial than ever as high inflation remains a problem for older Americans.”