President Donald Trump has declared that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will not be distributed until Democrats agree to end their federal government shutdown.
Trump made the announcement as a coalition of plaintiffs urged a federal judge to intervene.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote:
“Benefits for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!”
The statement followed a filing by Trump administration officials in a Rhode Island federal court indicating plans to use $4.6 billion in contingency funds to partially cover November SNAP payments.
Officials told U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. that the Department of Agriculture (USDA) would work with states to distribute 50 percent of normal benefits to the program’s 42 million participants.
States Warn of Delays in Processing Payments
USDA officials said states will need to recode their eligibility systems to process the reduced payments, warning the changes could take weeks or months to implement.
In a Tuesday post on X, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said that the process would be complex but that her agency would assist states in navigating the changes.
“This will be a cumbersome process, including revised eligibility systems, State notification procedures, and ultimately, delayed benefits for weeks, but we will help States navigate those challenges,” Rollins said.
She also urged congressional Democrats to vote to reopen the government.
Legal Battle Over SNAP Payments
Democrats in Congress have blocked multiple GOP-backed measures to end the shutdown, which began on October 1.
On November 3, Republicans blocked a resolution introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) that would have required the federal government to fully fund November SNAP payments.
On November 4, the Rhode Island State Council of Churches and other plaintiffs filed a motion asking Judge McConnell to enforce his prior order requiring the administration to “expeditiously resolve the administrative and clerical burdens” associated with partial payments.
The judge’s order specified that under “no circumstances shall the partial payments be made later than Wednesday, November 5.”
The plaintiffs argued that partial payments would fail to comply with the order and asked the court to compel the administration to release all withheld funding immediately.
“Because it is now clear that due to Defendants’ course of conduct, and by their own admission, undertaking a partial payment plan at this point cannot meet the Court’s directives or adequately remedy the harm Plaintiffs are suffering, the Court should grant Plaintiffs’ motion to enforce and should temporarily enjoin and compel Defendants to release the withheld funding, in its entirety, for November SNAP benefits,” the motion stated.
Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which represents the plaintiffs, said the government should comply fully with the judge’s ruling.
“We should not need to go to court to force the administration to provide food all people are entitled to in this country, but here we are—back in court to demand that the administration acts consistent with the judge’s order,” Perryman said.
Court Hearing Scheduled as Democrats Criticize Trump
Judge McConnell scheduled a hearing for November 6 and ordered the government to respond to the motion by the end of Wednesday, November 5.
Democrats have criticized Trump’s decision to tie benefit payments to the shutdown negotiations.
“The President doesn’t get to pick and choose which court orders he complies with,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) told reporters.
“The court said he has to start paying SNAP benefits, and he has to start paying SNAP benefits.”
The standoff adds another layer of pressure to the ongoing government shutdown, now entering its sixth week, as both sides remain locked over spending priorities and healthcare-related provisions tied to reopening negotiations.
On Tuesday, Senate Democrats yet again blocked Republicans’ latest effort to reopen the federal government.
It marks the 14th time they’ve rejected a GOP-led proposal and ensures the shutdown becomes the longest in U.S. history.
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