Trump threatens to withhold food aid amid government shutdown
President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to withhold critical food aid until the government shutdown concludes, despite earlier assurances from his administration that it would continue funding for partial benefits, reports BritPanorama.
The benefits provided by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP, “will be given only when those Radical Left Democrats open up the government, which they can easily do, and not before!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
This statement comes a day after the administration indicated it would abide by a court order to use a roughly $5 billion contingency fund to maintain partial benefits into November. The Justice Department, which made the filings, declined to comment.
The White House and the US Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Should Trump proceed with cancelling the aid, millions would be left without the federal assistance necessary for purchasing food. Nearly 42 million Americans receive SNAP benefits, averaging about $350 per household monthly.
The potential cancellation of aid raises new legal questions after more than two dozen states filed lawsuits last week urging the administration to continue providing at least some assistance. “This is immoral. See you in court,” said Skye Perryman, CEO of Democracy Forward, a legal organization involved in a related lawsuit seeking to ensure the continuation of SNAP benefits.
Trump’s officials had initially planned to end benefits beginning November 1, citing legal uncertainties about using the contingency fund or reallocating funds from other accounts. However, a court ruling suggested the administration could proceed with full funding for aid, allowing Trump’s officials to choose between paying partial or full benefits. They opted to use only the contingency fund for partial benefits.
A federal judge, meanwhile, has scheduled a hearing for Thursday to discuss a fresh request for an order mandating the Trump administration to provide full food stamp benefits for November. This hearing before US District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island represents the latest development in an ongoing legal battle over the benefits, playing out in different federal courts.
Following the government’s notice to McConnell regarding its plans to deliver only partial SNAP benefits, a coalition of cities, non-profits, unions, and small businesses involved in the legal challenge urged the judge to intervene, arguing that the USDA’s decision did not align with the requirements of his previous order. The plaintiffs are seeking a new ruling that would compel the administration to utilize a separate fund for November’s SNAP benefits.
Thursday’s hearing is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET.
