This evening, Donald Trump signed an executive order deferring payroll taxes, saying, “If I’m victorious on November 3rd, I plan to forgive these taxes and make permanent cuts to the payroll tax…If I win, I may extend and terminate. In other words, I’ll extend it beyond the end of the year and terminate the tax, so we’ll see what happens.”

The payroll tax funds Social Security, an entitlement program that helps more than 4.7 million Florida residents stay afloat and contributes $107.8 billion to our state economy. In response, Florida Congressman Ted Deutch, whose district is home to more than 151,000 Social Security beneficiaries, released the following statement:

“Donald Trump has been a disaster for our seniors. His chaotic response to the coronavirus pandemic has threatened our seniors’ lives — and now he’s using the pandemic to gut Social Security’s funding,” said Congressman Deutch. “Make no mistake: Donald Trump just unilaterally decided to cut Social Security’s funding source and, if he gets a second term, vowed to defund Social Security once and for all.

“For the sake of our seniors, we cannot allow Donald Trump another four years and the chance to permanently defund this lifeline to so many of our neighbors and loved ones.

“The road to the White House runs through Florida and Donald Trump is about to hit a wall of angry senior voters who have just had enough.”

Additionally, Vice President Joe Biden released a statement this evening on Donald Trump’s executive order, saying in part, “Unable to deliver for the American people in a time of crisis, Donald Trump offered a series of half-baked measures today. He is putting Social Security at grave risk at a time when seniors are suffering the overwhelming impact of a pandemic he has failed to get under control. And make no mistake: Donald Trump said today that if he is re-elected, he will defund Social Security.”