Trump Indicates He Will Fund SNAP After Court Orders
President Donald J. Trump signaled Friday that he is prepared to authorize emergency funding to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) operating — but only once courts clarify the legal authority to do so, as Democrats continue to block a clean bill to reopen the government.
SNAP benefits are set to lapse this weekend due to the ongoing Schumer Shutdown. For weeks, the administration has maintained that emergency reserves cannot legally be accessed without congressional authorization. The Hill reported that stance began to shift Friday after conflicting federal court rulings.
“Our Government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available, and now two Courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do,” President Trump posted on Truth Social.
“I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT,” he continued. “Therefore, I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.”
Even if emergency funds are unlocked, the President warned that logistical delays mean millions of families may still see interruptions, underscoring the need to pressure Senate Democrats who have repeatedly obstructed the House’s clean government funding bill.
Earlier Friday, U.S. District Judge John McConnell issued an order blocking the administration from letting the SNAP program lapse, directing the USDA to release contingency funds “timely or as soon as possible.” McConnell rejected the argument that the reserve could only be used when the program is otherwise fully funded.
McConnell’s ruling followed a similar order from U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, who gave the government until Monday to detail how it plans to tap the emergency reserve.
The emergency fund holds roughly $5.25 billion — well short of the $9 billion needed to fully fund November benefits. While the administration could attempt to fill the gap using Section 32 funds, drawn from customs revenues, both judges acknowledged that decision rests entirely with executive authority.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats continue to vote in lockstep to block a clean continuing resolution that would reopen the government immediately — without policy add-ons or left-wing spending priorities.
A majority of the 47 Senate Democrats have voted 14 times to block the House-passed budget resolution. Only a handful have broken ranks to support reopening the government and ensuring SNAP remains funded.
The USDA has repeatedly warned of the consequences:
“At this time, there will be no benefits issued on November 1st. Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Bottom line, the well has run dry,” the department stated earlier in the week.
“We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats,” the notice continued. “They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.”
The White House now awaits clarification from the courts. The fastest way to restore SNAP remains the simplest: Senate Democrats could pass the clean funding bill already approved by the House — ending the shutdown immediately.