The battle over food stamps is intensifying after President Donald Trump suggested he could stop SNAP payments until Democrats reopen the government. The president posted on Truth Social that the benefits “will be given only when the radical left Democrats open up government.”
That message directly conflicted with a federal court order requiring the administration to resume SNAP payments for 42 million Americans.
White House response
Hours later, the White House walked it back. It said Trump wasn’t threatening to cut off aid, just expressing frustration about using emergency funds to cover it.
“The administration is fully complying with the court order. I just spoke to the president about it. The recipients of these snap benefits need to understand it’s going to take some time to receive this money, because 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 Truth Social post.”
— Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary
The administration maintains that partial payments — roughly half of the usual amount — are still being received.
@straightarrownews Did you know SNAP started because there was too much food during the Great Depression? In the 1930s, farmers had surplus crops while families went hungry. The solution? Food stamps. From JFK to Reagan to COVID-era expansions, the program has evolved, but the mission remains: helping people access food when they need it most. Follow for more historical deep dives that shed light on today's news! #SNAPebt #FoodStamps ♬ original sound – Straight Arrow News
But it could take weeks for families to receive the funds. Democrats accuse the president’s comments of being immoral, pledging to continue fighting for full funding in court.
