In his first high-profile public speech since abandoning his re-election campaign, former President Joe Biden launched a strong criticism of his successor Donald Trump, accusing him of a "dizzying destruction" of the federal government that he said directly threatens the retirement and disability benefits of millions of Americans.

"In less than 100 days, this administration has caused so much damage, so much destruction ... it's amazing that it has happened so fast," Biden told an audience of advocates for people with disabilities in Chicago on Tuesday.

The 82-year-old Democrat particularly lashed out at cuts to the Social Security Administration, a vital institution for more than 65 million citizens. He charged that more than 7,000 employees have been laid off in what he called a deliberate attack on the structure that guarantees payments to retirees and people with disabilities.

"They've taken an axe to the Social Security Administration," Biden warned, alluding to cuts pushed by Trump and his influential adviser, tycoon Elon Musk, under the new "Department of Government Efficiency."

Digital collapse and beneficiary concerns

One of the immediate effects, Biden charged, is that Social Security's website is crashing, preventing thousands of beneficiaries from accessing their payments or initiating pension and disability paperwork.

"Many Americans literally depend on Social Security to be able to eat, to survive. If it is cut or eliminated, it would be devastating to millions of people," he said, stressing that for many this is their only source of income.

The speech, which lasted about half an hour, showed some verbal stumbles by Biden, who read from a teleprompter and rambled on with impromptu anecdotes, which he interrupted with his trademark "anyways". Still, his message was clear: Trump would be dismantling the pillars of the American welfare state under a rhetoric of efficiency.

Trump responds with sarcasm

President Trump was quick to react. From his social networks, he posted a short video edited with one of Biden's scattered anecdotes, without adding commentary, in what was read as a direct mockery of the Democrat's age and style.

Trump's strategy has been framed as part of an overall offensive against what he calls "inefficient bureaucracy," delegating to Musk and other billionaire allies the task of restructuring multiple federal agencies. The appointment of Howard Lutnick, a former hedge fund manager, as Secretary of Commerce has been one of the most controversial moves.

Biden did not hold back his criticism of Lutnick, who recently said that "crooks complain about a lost check, but not his mother-in-law." The former president responded with irony:

"And what about the 94-year-old mother who lives alone, without a billionaire in the family?", launched Biden.

Social Security: the "third rail" of politics

The Social Security system has historically been untouchable in U.S. politics, known as the "third rail" because of the electoral risk involved in touching it. However, recent cuts and deteriorating service under the Trump administration have set off alarm bells among Democrats and civic organizations.

For Biden, defending this program is a red line. His appearance in Chicago marks not only a return to the political arena, but also an attempt to mobilize voters and organizations in the face of a possible Trump re-election in 2028.

With information from AFP