The Trump administration has agreed to partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) amid a prolonged government shutdown, following rulings by two federal judges requiring the use of an emergency $5.25 billion fund to avoid cutting benefits. Key programs like SNAP officially lapsed over the weekend after Democrats blocked multiple efforts to reopen the government in October.
Judges mandated that the Trump administration utilize the emergency funds before halting SNAP payments, though this will cover only about half of the $9 billion monthly expenditure. The Department of Agriculture was also permitted to reallocate funds for November, but officials warned against doing so, citing “unacceptable risks.”
Patrick Penn, who oversees SNAP at the USDA, emphasized that Section 32 Child Nutrition Program funds cannot serve as a contingency for SNAP, warning that diverting billions from child nutrition programs would create an unprecedented funding gap. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced efforts to verify that only U.S. citizens receive SNAP benefits, stating that 29 states had provided data while 21 others refused, with two suing over the request.
Rollins claimed the initiative uncovered “massive fraud” in cooperating states and accused Democrats of prioritizing “illegal aliens” over working Americans. “The Democrat Party has turned its back on working Americans,” she said, adding that stopping benefits would force undocumented individuals to leave, costing Democrats 20+ seats after the next census. “There’s a new sheriff in town. [President Trump] will not tolerate waste, fraud, or abuse while hardworking Americans go hungry.”
