Will President Trump withhold SNAP funds until government reopens despite court rulings?

PHOENIX — President Donald Trump indicated Tuesday his administration will not comply with court orders to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the government shutdown.

“SNAP BENEFITS, which increased by Billions and Billions of Dollars (MANY FOLD!) during Crooked Joe Biden’s disastrous term in office (Due to the fact that they were haphazardly ‘handed’ to anyone for the asking, as opposed to just those in need, which is the purpose of SNAP!), will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

However, Karoline Leavitt, the president’s press secretary, said later in the day that SNAP funding is being paid out in line with court orders.

The latest twist in the SNAP saga came a day after the administration said it would use emergency funds to cover about half the normal benefits in response to court rulings in two lawsuits.

SNAP is the nation’s largest food aid program, serving about 1 in 8 Americans. It helps about 900,000 Arizonans pay for groceries.

Lawsuits followed after the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the program, announced plans to freeze payments starting Nov. 1.

Democrats respond to President Donald Trump’s SNAP threat

Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, predicted that Trump’s resistance to funding SNAP would be “short-lived.”

“If he continues to ignore the courts, then we’re in a full blown and five alarm constitutional crisis. So the president doesn’t get to pick and choose which court orders he complies with,” Murphy said. “If the court has said he has to start paying SNAP benefits, then he has to start paying SNAP benefits.”

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat who is involved in one of the SNAP lawsuits, said she will push to make sure the court orders are followed.

“A court has agreed with us that the Trump administration must use contingency funds for SNAP for November food benefits for millions of Americans. We will keep fighting to make sure they do,” she said in a statement Tuesday.

President Donald Trump increases uncertainty about SNAP funding

Federal judges in two cases, including the one involving Arizona, ruled Friday that the government must use emergency funds to keep the food aid program running.

However, recipients were left in limbo as details about the timing and amount of payments were still being worked out.

The uncertainty factor was dialed up Tuesday with Trump’s social media post.

The federal government shutdown started Oct. 1. The House approved legislation to keep the government open, but Democrats in the Senate, which requires 60 votes to pass the spending bill, aren’t going along with it. The minority party is holding out in an effort to get Republicans to agree to extend health insurance tax credits that are set to expire at the end of the year.

Republicans, meanwhile, have said they won’t negotiate about the insurance credits until the shutdown is over.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

If you are dealing with food insecurity or want to help those who are, the Arizona Food Bank Network website has a list of available resources, including a database of food banks, pantries and soup kitchens that serve people in need and accept donations. Additionally, donations can be made by texting “food” to 620620.

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