Trump says no SNAP benefits will be provided until government reopens, creating confusion

The president’s announcement on Truth Social appeared to violate court rulings from federal judges that ordered the use of emergency funds to provide critical SNAP benefits.

In what appeared to be a major reversal, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that no SNAP food assistance will be funded until the government reopens. The announcement seemed to violate court rulings from federal judges who ordered the federal government to use emergency funds to keep the program funded.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in a court filing, stated that it would disperse $4.65 billion in partial funding from a contingency fund but would not provide an additional $4 billion from other accounts to cover full benefits for November.

In a Truth Social post, Trump appeared to reverse course on that commitment.

“SNAP BENEFITS, which increased by Billions and Billions of Dollars (MANY FOLD!) during Crooked Joe Biden’s disastrous term in office (Due to the fact that they were haphazardly “handed” to anyone for the asking, as opposed to just those in need, which is the purpose of SNAP!), will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!” President Trump wrote.

When asked to clarify whether the government defied the court orders or dispersed partial funding for SNAP, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, “The administration is fully complying with the court order.”

However, the Trump spokesperson cautioned that SNAP recipients “need to understand it’s going to take some time to receive this money.”

“The Democrats have forced the administration into a very untenable position. We are digging into a contingency fund that is supposed to be for emergencies, catastrophes, for war, and the president does not want to have to tap into this fund in the future, and that’s what he was referring to in his true social post,” she explained.

Funding for SNAP expired on Nov. 1 due to the ongoing government shutdown, which has reached a record 35 days. President Trump and Republicans have so far refused to negotiate with Democrats, who are demanding that tax credit subsidies for Obamacare be permanently extended, as premiums will skyrocket beginning next year.

The pain that is currently impacting 42 million Americans relying on SNAP–including 11 million Black Americans–could come to an end if lawmakers and the White House agree to fund the government.

“Each day that goes by is another day a child, senior, or person with a disability in our country goes hungry because the Trump Administration would rather play politics than meet the needs of the American people,” said U.S. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke, D-N.Y., the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

The Democratic National Committee also condemned the Trump administration’s refusal to fully fund SNAP. In a statement, the Democratic Party’s national headquarters said, “Trump is using Americans in blue and red states as political pawns in his cruel game to shut down the government to avoid extending the enhanced ACA premium tax credits that help reduce health care costs for 22 million Americans.”

This is a story developing. Check back for updates.