A federal judge has mandated the Trump administration to fully finance this month’s food aid for 42 million low-income Americans by Friday. This ruling blocks the administration’s intention to provide reduced benefits amid the ongoing government shutdown. U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Providence, R.I., criticized the administration for withholding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also known as SNAP or food stamps, for political reasons. He directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to fund the program so that individuals receive 100% of their benefits.
During a virtual court hearing on Thursday, McConnell emphasized the potential consequences of withholding benefits, stating that people could go hungry, food pantries might be overwhelmed, and unnecessary suffering could occur. The Trump administration swiftly appealed McConnell’s decision, causing a strong reaction from Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington. Murray expressed shock at the administration’s appeal, criticizing Trump for challenging a federal court order to pay full SNAP benefits for the month.
In response, Trump’s administration requested a federal appeals court to suspend any orders requiring additional spending beyond available contingency funds. Meanwhile, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’s office confirmed that some SNAP recipients in the state had already received their full November payments. The appeal by the administration has raised doubts about the eventual disbursement of SNAP benefits to all eligible individuals.
The administration strongly criticized the court ruling, attributing the situation to Senate Democrats who had opposed a Republican-backed stopgap funding measure multiple times. Vice-President JD Vance labeled the ruling as “absurd,” indicating uncertainty about the government’s next steps. Vance emphasized that the government would act in compliance with the law and prioritize serving the public during the ongoing shutdown.
SNAP benefits are monthly assistance provided to eligible Americans with incomes below 130% of the federal poverty line. The administration had initially planned to halt SNAP benefits in November due to insufficient authorized funding from Congress amid the shutdown. McConnell and another judge in Boston had previously ruled that the administration must use emergency funding to partially support SNAP benefits.
In light of the court ruling, the USDA opted to use contingency funding, resulting in reduced benefits for recipients. This decision has created uncertainty regarding the amount and timing of monthly food aid disbursements, prompting states to advise recipients to plan their budgets and utilize food pantries. McConnell criticized the administration for failing to address the administrative challenges associated with providing reduced benefits and suggested tapping into a fund derived from tariffs to address the issue.
