RELEASE: Congresswoman Friedman Joins Seniors, Veteran Slam Trump Social Security Closures and Trump’s Tariff Tax

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - Today, April 4, 2025, U.S. Representative Laura Friedman (CA-30), along with local seniors and veterans, gathered in front of the Hollywood Social Security Office to demand answers on the Trump Administration's plan to call out dual threats from the Trump administration: massive new tariffs that would raise everyday costs - and cuts to Social Security access that could leave vulnerable communities without the services they've earned.

Watch and download the full Facebook livestream HERE.

Rep. Friedman announced she is sending a letter to Acting Social Security Administration Commissioner Leland Dudek demanding answers about potential Social Security office closures and staffing cuts across California's 30th District. At the same time, she warned that Trump's proposed tariffs will hit hardworking Americans with a $3,800-per-year tax.

Friedman was joined by local seniors including:

• Lincoln is an Air Force veteran and current Social Security recipient. After serving overseas in Okinawa, he's now speaking out because he's concerned that the system he paid into throughout his life is being dismantled.
• Geo, age 72, is considering applying for Social Security but is worried about how complicated the process has become - and whether the program will still be there when she needs it.

"Geo is 72 and worried Social Security won't be there when she needs it. Lincoln served our country and now relies on it to get by. These aren't headlines - they're hardworking Americans, my constituents. Now, at the same time, Trump and Musk are raising costs with a new tariff and shutting down access to the benefits people have earned. That's not reform - it's betrayal," said Representative Laura Friedman (CA-30). "We're not going to let billionaires rewrite the rules while seniors pay the price. I'm demanding answers, and I'll keep fighting to protect what people have worked for their whole lives."

Below: Seniors and veterans voice concerns about cuts to Social Security.

Below: Friedman speaks on the impacts that office closures and cuts will have on seniors and veterans.