One after another, callers on a telephone town hall with U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga pressed the Michigan Republican about possible cuts to Social Security. Among them was a retired teacher and coach from West Michigan who said he and his wife,

President Trump has proposed multiple tax cuts. He wants to permanently extend the temporary corporate tax cuts implemented in 2017. During his presidential campaign, he pledged to eliminate federal taxes on Social Security retirement benefits, overtime pay, and tips.

And on March 11, the White House issued a press release, declaring “President Trump will always protect Social Security [and] Medicare” and reaffirming he has no plans to cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid.

The two maintain that they won’t attack the program, but their repeated claims of rampant fraud serve a strategic purpose.