Trump says SNAP will only get paid after shutdown

Former President Trump stated on Truth Social that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits would only be paid after a government shutdown ends. This statement appears to contradict a White House directive from the previous week mandating partial SNAP benefit payments even during a shutdown. Approximately 42 million Americans, including a majority of children and adults over 60, rely on SNAP, a critical anti-poverty program. This is the first shutdown to potentially disrupt these essential payments. Trump claimed SNAP benefits, which he asserted had significantly increased under the Biden administration, would only be disbursed once "Radical Left Democrats" reopen the government. In response, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the administration was complying with a court order but that it would take time for recipients to receive funds. She suggested the President's remark referred to not wanting to tap into emergency funds. Factually, SNAP spending and enrollment saw a substantial increase during the Trump administration, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when emergency allotments were expanded. Expenditures rose to $128 billion in 2021, with recipient numbers growing to 41.6 million, before a slight decline. Federal spending on SNAP has decreased annually from 2021 to 2024. Currently, a federal judge has ordered the White House to respond to a demand for full SNAP benefit paym... download the app to read more