The Trump administration is now urging states to reverse the distribution of full SNAP food benefits following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to halt those rulings. This development is part of the ongoing legal battle surrounding the anti-hunger program that serves 42 million Americans.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s request comes as more than 25 states express concerns about potential severe operational disruptions if they are not reimbursed for the SNAP benefits they allocated prior to the Supreme Court’s intervention. In November, non-profits and Democratic attorneys general initiated legal action to compel the administration to uphold the program.
Following recent court victories that led to the immediate disbursement of benefits to millions of individuals across multiple states, the Trump administration refused to reimburse states for the initial round of SNAP payments. Wisconsin, for instance, issued benefits to 700,000 residents, but with the U.S. Treasury withholding reimbursements, the state anticipates exhausting funds by Monday, as per a statement by Governor Tony Evers’ administration.
States are cautioning that the financial shortfall could result in vendors going unpaid and trigger a surge in legal challenges. The potential demand for states to return hundreds of millions of dollars collectively could lead to significant operational disruptions and harm residents, according to court filings.
In response, the Department of Agriculture notified states that any payments made were deemed “unauthorized.” Deputy Undersecretary of Agriculture Patrick Penn instructed state SNAP directors to immediately reverse any actions taken to provide full SNAP benefits for November 2025.
Governor Evers swiftly rejected the Trump administration’s directive, emphasizing that Wisconsin had lawfully distributed benefits to ensure hundreds of thousands of residents, including children, had access to essential food supplies. Despite assurances from the administration to implement full SNAP benefits for November, they have yet to fulfill this commitment.
