Donald Trump made it clear in a new Truth Social post that his administration will not release any SNAP benefits until Democrats agree to reopen the government, directly defying two federal court orders that required him to pay.
The post came just hours after judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts ruled that the administration must use emergency funds to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) running during the shutdown. Instead, Trump doubled down, claiming that SNAP spending “increased by billions and billions of dollars” under Joe Biden and suggesting the program was “handed to anyone for the asking.”
He said benefits will only go out “when the Radical Left Democrats open up government,” adding that it’s their responsibility to act first. The message shocked millions of families who rely on SNAP, which provides monthly food support to more than 42 million Americans. By publicly refusing to comply, Trump effectively confirmed that no payments will be made until the political standoff ends, putting food assistance on hold nationwide.
Federal judges had ordered immediate payments, warning that any delay would cause “irreparable harm” to households that depend on the benefits to buy groceries. Those rulings also clarified that the administration has the legal authority to use contingency funds to cover payments during the shutdown. But Trump’s post intends to ignore those decisions, using the program as leverage to pressure Democrats to pass his preferred funding bill. Democrats, on the other hand, have refused to move forward without a deal that extends health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.
Those subsidies are critical for keeping monthly premiums affordable, and without them, millions could see their insurance costs spike within weeks by as much as 50%. The party argues that both programs, SNAP and the subsidies, are essential for working families and should not be used as bargaining chips.
With both sides holding firm, the standoff is already hitting Americans where it hurts most: their wallets. Grocery prices are sky high, and now millions of low-income households may have to turn to food banks, churches, or community centers just to eat. Meanwhile, the insurance issue looms in the background. If subsidies expire, monthly health care costs could soar, especially for middle- and low-income families who depend on marketplace coverage. Democrats say allowing those subsidies to vanish would devastate the same people now losing SNAP benefits .
For many, the debate in Washington feels far removed from reality. Whether the issue is food or health coverage, the result is the same: families left waiting while political leaders trade blame online.
Trump’s refusal to pay SNAP benefits, despite being ordered by the courts to do so, has turned a government shutdown into a humanitarian crisis.
