COUNCIL BLUFFS. Iowa (TND) — Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, now a Republican presidential candidate, suggested changing the retirement age and other entitlement reformations during a recent town hall in Iowa.

Social Security and Medicare benefits, and the retirement age necessary to receive those benefits, have been controversial political topics as the U.S. heads toward the 2024 presidential election.

President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump both apparently support the programs. Biden has heavily criticized Republicans for wanting to cut the programs and Trump called out his fellow Republicans during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) last weekend for wanting "to raise the minimum age of Social Security to 70, 75 or even 80 in some cases."

Haley, however, apparently wants to make some changes to the entitlement programs, according to CNN's reporting.

The first thing you do is you change the retirement age of the young people coming up so that we can try and have some sort of system for them," Haley reportedly said during a town hall appearance in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Wednesday.

CNN says that Haley's campaign didn't immediately respond when asked what the former governor planned on setting the age to. The National Desk also reached out to Haley's press team but has yet to receive a response.

During her Iowa town hall appearance, Haley reportedly said that she would plan on ensuring older Americans would not see any cuts to their benefits.

You reform the entitlements, but you do it in a way that you don’t take anything away from seniors or people who are getting ready to retire," Haley said according to CNN. "You focus on the new generation, you focus on what’s next."

Haley also called for expanding Medicare Advantage plan packages at the Wednesday town hall according to CNN, which added that the plans are run by private entities. Haley reportedly believes expanding the plan packages will increase competition, which hopefully leads to better prices and offers.

The former South Carolina governor also reportedly criticized a new proposal from President Biden that would fund Medicare by raising taxes on Americans making more than $400,000 a year.

Joe Biden now is basically saying the only way to deal with entitlements is to raise taxes. He doesn’t care that it runs out in five or 10 years, he’s not going to be there anymore," Haley said at the town hall, according to CNN.

Biden's proposal on raising taxes to fund Medicare is expected to find difficulty passing a Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

Democrats have historically been pro-entitlements, such as Social Security and Medicare, and Republicans have historically been in favor of cutting or reducing spending on the programs.

However, recently, many Republican politicians like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former president Donald Trump have distanced themselves from voicing support for cuts to those entitlements.

Currently, the retirement age for Medicare eligibility is set at 65 years old.

The full retirement age for Social Security is 67 years old for those turning 62 in 2023, and retiring before that will result in reduced benefits depending on how old a person is.

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