Courts block Trump: Food aid must continue during shutdown
Two federal judges have ordered the Trump administration to keep paying for the nation’s largest food assistance program, SNAP, despite the ongoing government shutdown. The rulings ensure that millions of low-income Americans will continue receiving aid through emergency funds.
The shutdown of the U.S. government nearly halted the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a vital source of food support for millions. But in back-to-back rulings, federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to resume payments using emergency reserve funds, safeguarding benefits for roughly one in eight Americans.
Judges Rule SNAP Must Be Funded
In Rhode Island, Judge John J. McConnell ruled that the government must use at least $5 billion in contingency funds to keep SNAP running, while also maintaining existing work requirement exemptions for veterans and older adults.
In Boston, Judge Indira Talwani called the administration’s suspension of payments “unlawful,” directing the Department of Agriculture to fund the program for November—either partially or in full—using both contingency and additional available funds.
Delays Still Expected
Despite the legal victories, benefits may still arrive late. States typically need up to a week to reload electronic benefit cards, meaning millions of households may not receive aid at the start of the month. The administration has not yet said whether it plans to appeal.
“No One Should Be Used as Leverage”
Skye Perryman, president of Democracy Forward, said the ruling “protects families, seniors, and veterans from being used as leverage in a political fight.”
Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, praised the decision, saying, “The administration chose to deny food to Americans in need, despite being legally obligated to provide it.”
Trump Responds Cautiously
President Donald Trump wrote on social media that his administration would comply with the rulings but added, “If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will be my honor to provide the funding.”
