President Trump has threatened to withhold Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from recipients until the government shutdown is resolved. He made this statement on his social media platform Truth Social, saying that SNAP benefits will only be provided "when the Radical Left Democrats open up government," which he claims can easily happen.
This move contradicts a previous announcement from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which stated it would pay half of November's SNAP benefits using contingency funding. The USDA warned that some states may not receive this funding for weeks or months.
The agency had made the statement in response to a federal judge ordering the Trump administration to begin issuing the payments. In response, President Trump said on Friday that if the court can "clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible," he would provide the necessary funding.
However, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins took to X (the platform's name) to clarify that the agency is working to distribute the benefits, despite the government shutdown. She noted that this will be a "cumbersome process," resulting in delayed benefits for weeks, but emphasized that if the government opens, families can receive their full benefit much more quickly.
SNAP benefits cost the federal government around $8 billion for November alone, and a group of 25 states plus Washington D.C. had filed a lawsuit arguing that withholding these payments was illegal. The USDA had initially decided not to use its contingency fund to distribute all the benefits in full, but will now partially fund half of November's payments.
The next hearing in this case is scheduled for Thursday afternoon, and it remains to be seen how this standoff will play out.
This move contradicts a previous announcement from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which stated it would pay half of November's SNAP benefits using contingency funding. The USDA warned that some states may not receive this funding for weeks or months.
The agency had made the statement in response to a federal judge ordering the Trump administration to begin issuing the payments. In response, President Trump said on Friday that if the court can "clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible," he would provide the necessary funding.
However, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins took to X (the platform's name) to clarify that the agency is working to distribute the benefits, despite the government shutdown. She noted that this will be a "cumbersome process," resulting in delayed benefits for weeks, but emphasized that if the government opens, families can receive their full benefit much more quickly.
SNAP benefits cost the federal government around $8 billion for November alone, and a group of 25 states plus Washington D.C. had filed a lawsuit arguing that withholding these payments was illegal. The USDA had initially decided not to use its contingency fund to distribute all the benefits in full, but will now partially fund half of November's payments.
The next hearing in this case is scheduled for Thursday afternoon, and it remains to be seen how this standoff will play out.
It's not cool that President Trump is threatening to withhold those funds, especially since the USDA has already said they're working to distribute them despite the shutdown 
. I mean, come on, if he really wants to fix the government issues, why make it harder for people who are just trying to survive? 
It's not like withholding SNAP benefits is going to magically solve anything... and what about those states that might not get funding for weeks or months?! 
The USDA Secretary sounds super reasonable, though, trying to clarify things on X 
. We'll have to wait and see how this all plays out, but I hope the court intervenes and gets things sorted ASAP 
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... president trump is playing with people's plates here. SNAP benefits should never be used as leverage in a government shutdown. think about all the families who are struggling to make ends meet and they're gonna have to wait even longer for their benefits 
. and it's not like he's got a good reason for this either - just trying to make some political point 
... meanwhile, the usda is stuck in the middle with no clear solution 
. can't believe they had to resort to using contingency funding in the first place 
. all this drama over $8 billion... come on 
this whole thing is just so... partisan 
I'm really worried about the people who rely on SNAP benefits 
The USDA is doing its best to distribute the benefits, but it's clear that this whole situation is causing a lot of stress and uncertainty 
. Can't he just provide the funding without all the drama and threats? 
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Just saying...
. The USDA should just stick to what they said, pay half the benefits and hope everything gets sorted out soon 
.
It's like, what even is he trying to say here?
. They're counting on us to get this stuff sorted out ASAP 
Still, this one stings, you know? Families are already struggling as it is, and now they're gonna have to deal with delayed benefits? Not cool, dude. 
"When you're dead, you won't miss your life." - Not him though! 
Trump's move is just causing stress & hurting the people who need help most... lets hope this gets sorted out ASAP 
. But when the government shutdown hits, SNAP benefits might not be as sweet for those who need them 
. The USDA is doing its best to distribute the benefits despite the hurdle, but it's like playing catch-up in a game where someone else is always one step ahead 
This whole situation with SNAP benefits during the government shutdown is really confusing. I don't think withholding benefits until Congress opens up makes sense - like, what's gonna change? 
. At least she's being honest about the fact that this will be a slow process and some states might not get their full benefits right away. And can we talk about how some 25 states are already suing over this? It's like, come on, guys!