Federal Judges Order Trump Administration To Fund SNAP Amid Government Shutdown Affecting 42 Million Americans

Two federal judges ruled that President Trump's administration must use a $5 billion contingency fund to continue funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing government shutdown, which has lasted over 31 days. The rulings came after lawsuits by states and nonprofits, with judges ordering the administration to either authorize reduced benefits using the contingency fund or pay out full benefits by combining contingency funds with other resources. The Trump administration had claimed the contingency funds could not be used for monthly SNAP payments during a shutdown, but the courts rejected this, emphasizing that benefits must continue for the 42 million Americans relying on SNAP. The program's funding gap has caused concern as the contingency fund alone cannot cover the entire cost for November, and it may take weeks before beneficiaries see the payments restored. These judicial decisions highlight political conflicts over government funding and social safety net programs, with Democrats pushing to restore subsidies cut by Republicans, while Republicans, led by Trump, have resisted negotiations to avoid a shutdown. The ongoing dispute underscores the broader battle over healthcare and social welfare funding in the current administration.