Trump Administration Ordered to Pay for SNAP Benefits Amid Shutdown

Two federal judges have ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) running, rejecting the Trump administration’s plan to halt funding during the ongoing government shutdown.

In separate rulings Friday, judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island found the USDA acted unlawfully by planning to freeze benefits on November 1 instead of using its contingency funds. The SNAP program supports about 42 million Americans—roughly one in eight—at a cost of billions each month.

Courts Order Immediate Use of Contingency Funds

In Providence, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ordered the USDA to release contingency funds “as soon as possible,” noting the “terror” caused by uncertainty over whether families would have money for food.

In Boston, Judge Indira Talwani ruled the USDA’s actions “unlawful” and gave the agency until Monday to confirm whether it will use contingency and reserve funds to continue payments.

The USDA claimed it lacked legal authority to access about $5 billion in contingency funds—or an additional $23 billion in reserves—without congressional approval.

Lawmakers and Advocates React

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said the rulings “leave the administration no excuse to withhold food assistance from Americans,” calling the suspension plan “a cruel political decision, not a legal one.”

President Trump responded on social media, saying his lawyers “do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available,” but added that if courts provide “appropriate legal direction,” he would “honor” the ruling and provide the funding.

Delays and State Responses

Despite the court orders, logistical challenges remain. Distributing benefits through state systems takes several days, and the contingency funds may not cover the estimated $9 billion needed for November’s full SNAP payments.

Nonprofit groups welcomed the rulings but warned they may only provide temporary relief. “Thousands of nonprofit food banks can avoid the impossible burden that would have resulted if SNAP benefits had been halted,” said Diane Yentel of the National Council of Nonprofits.

Meanwhile, New York declared a state of emergency and committed $65 million to food banks to prevent disruptions.

The twin rulings mark a major turning point in the legal fight over the nation’s largest food-assistance program—shifting the question from whether benefits will continue to how and when they’ll be distributed amid the political standoff in Washington.