Trump Ordered To Fund SNAP Benefits During Gov't Shutdown (BREAKING)

By Chris Spiker From Daily Voice

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to resume Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the ongoing government shutdown, as 42 million Americans risk losing crucial food aid.

A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled on Friday, Oct. 31, that the US Department of Agriculture must use contingency money in a timely manner or "as soon as possible," The New York Times reported. The USDA had said that it wouldn't issue SNAP benefits on Saturday, Nov. 1.

The court order directs the USDA to allocate emergency funds Congress previously set aside for SNAP. The decision followed growing pressure from states, nonprofits, and advocates who argued that the Trump administration was legally obligated to use that money to maintain benefits during the shutdown. 

In a separate ruling just minutes earlier, a federal judge in Massachusetts gave the Trump administration until Monday, Nov. 3, to explain how it plans to fund the program. 

"Congress has put money in an emergency fund," US District Judge Indira Talwani said during a hearing. "It's hard for me to understand how this isn't an emergency, when there's no money and a lot of people are needing their SNAP benefits."

Despite the court rulings, it's unclear if or when the money will go out to those who receive SNAP benefits, also referred to as food stamps.

Volunteers hand out food at a food bank. 

Joel Muniz/Unsplash

The orders mark a major setback for the Trump administration, which has argued that it cannot legally use the reserve funds. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has maintained that the emergency fund is "only allowed to flow if the underlying program is funded" by Congress.

Democrats and attorneys general have strongly rejected that interpretation, with more than two dozen states suing the Trump administration to issue SNAP benefits in November.

"Despite having the money to fund SNAP, the Trump administration is creating needless fear, angst, and harm for millions of families and their children, especially as we approach the holidays," said Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, who is a co-leader of the lawsuit. "It is past time for the Trump administration to act to help, rather than harm, those who rely on our government."

The second-longest government shutdown in US history began on Wednesday, Oct. 1, after Congress failed to pass a stopgap bill. The shutdown has already disrupted numerous federal programs and paychecks for government workers. 

Senate Democrats opposed the House-passed spending plan, pushing for an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies. They're also seeking to reverse Medicaid cuts in the GOP-passed spending plan previously called the "One Big Beautiful Bill" that President Donald Trump signed into law in July. 

The expiration of federal ACA subsidies is expected to make health insurance premiums skyrocket for millions of Americans. Republicans argue that the federal government should be reopened before starting negotiations.

President Donald Trump speaking at a dinner in Gyeongju, South Korea, on October 29, 2025.

Wikimedia Commons - The White House

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump urged Republicans to scrap the Senate filibuster to end the shutdown.

"It is now time for the Republicans to play their 'TRUMP CARD,' and go for what is called the Nuclear Option — Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!" Trump posted on Thursday, Oct. 30.

SNAP benefits, which average about $187 per recipient each month, cost the federal government roughly $8 billion monthly. The USDA's reserve currently holds about $5 billion, enough to cover at least partial payments in November.

The Justice Department and White House haven't said whether they'll appeal the rulings as of press time.