President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will remain on hold until Democrats act to reopen the federal government.
He accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other liberal lawmakers of deliberately extending the shutdown to gain political leverage.
“SNAP BENEFITS, which increased by Billions and Billions of Dollars (MANY FOLD!) during Crooked Joe Biden’s disastrous term in office…will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!” Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday.
Now in its fifth week, the federal shutdown has escalated into a high-stakes standoff, according to The Gateway Pundit.
Trump has insisted on fiscal restraint and tighter border enforcement, while Senate Democrats reportedly demand that any funding measure include expanded welfare programs and protections for illegal immigrants.
Conservative analysts argue that Democrats are using SNAP recipients as leverage to pressure Republicans and generate negative headlines during the shutdown.
These tensions have been compounded by legal challenges and unrest among recipients.
Several Democratic attorneys general have filed lawsuits against the administration, claiming that withholding SNAP benefits unlawfully harms low-income Americans.
Meanwhile, reports of frustrated recipients threatening to loot stores highlight the mounting pressure as the shutdown continues.
During the Biden administration, SNAP spending surged nearly 40 percent, fueled by looser eligibility rules and an influx of unverified applicants.
Critics point to these trends as evidence of program misuse and improper payouts, while Trump supporters view the suspension as a necessary measure to enforce fiscal responsibility.
Left-leaning commentators argue that pausing benefits disproportionately impacts vulnerable Americans, highlighting the political stakes of the shutdown.
Federal courts have intervened in recent weeks.
Two judges appointed during the Obama administration instructed the Trump administration to tap emergency contingency funds to partially cover November SNAP payments.
The Treasury currently holds $4.65 billion in such funds, enough to meet roughly half of the expected monthly obligations, according to The Hill.
USDA officials considered using Child Nutrition funds—which provide meals to 29 million schoolchildren daily—but determined doing so would severely disrupt the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs.
As a result, the administration is deploying contingency funds selectively.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that partial distributions are underway, but delays are inevitable.
“The recipients of these SNAP benefits need to understand it’s going to take some time to receive this money, because the Democrats have forced the administration into a very untenable position,” she said.
We are digging into a contingency fund that is supposed to be for emergencies, catastrophes, for war. And the president does not want to have to tap into this fund in the future. And that’s what he was referring to in his Truth Social post.”
Meanwhile, states are scrambling to bridge the gap.
Many have tapped emergency reserves, coordinated with local food banks and warned residents that benefits may not arrive on schedule.
Approximately 41.7 million Americans—or 12.3 percent of the population—rely on SNAP, though dependence varies widely across states and territories.
Trump’s approach sends a clear political message: he holds Democrats responsible for both the stalled government and delayed aid.
Analysts note that the move may energize Republican voters frustrated with perceived liberal overreach on welfare programs.
Until Democrats reopen federal operations, the administration maintains that SNAP payments will remain suspended.
