President Donald Trump sparked confusion Tuesday when he posted on Truth Social that SNAP benefits would only be distributed once Democrats end the government shutdown, shortly before White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that the administration is complying with a federal court order to provide partial food assistance.
In a post on Truth Social Tuesday morning, Trump declared that “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!”
The largest increases in SNAP spending occurred as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic response, which was bipartisan policy during Trump’s first term. By 2024, SNAP served an average of 41.7 million people, or 12.3% of the U.S. population.
The statement appeared to contradict the administration’s own court filing from the previous day, when Justice Department attorneys informed a federal judge in Rhode Island that the Department of Agriculture would tap into contingency funds to provide at least partial SNAP benefits for November.
Hours after Trump’s post, Leavitt addressed the confusion during an afternoon press briefing, stating, “The administration is fully complying with the court order. I just spoke to the president about it.”
Leavitt explained that SNAP recipients “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 emphasized that the administration is “digging into a contingency fund that is supposed to be for emergencies, catastrophes, for war,” adding that “the president does not want to have to tap into this fund in the future.” Leavitt clarified that Trump’s Truth Social post was referencing his reluctance to use emergency contingency funds, not an intention to defy the court order.
“The Department of Agriculture, as for the latest SNAP payment and the judge’s order, put out guidance to states today on how to get that money to the recipients of SNAP, but it’s gonna take some time,” Leavitt said. “The best way to get the full amount of SNAP benefits to those beneficiaries is for Democrats to reopen the government.”
Republicans control both the House, Senate, and White House, but need 60 votes in the Senate to overcome a filibuster. While Democrats have the votes to block Republican proposals, Republicans similarly voted down Democratic alternatives.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins had initially claimed the contingency fund should only be used for natural disasters. However, judges rejected this interpretation, finding that Congress specifically designed the fund to cover SNAP during appropriations gaps. The administration also has access to a separate $23 billion Section 32 fund from the Agricultural Adjustment Act amendments of 1935 that could provide full benefits, but chose not to use it.
Nearly 42 million Americans—approximately one in eight people in the United States—rely on SNAP for food assistance, receiving an average of just over $350 per month per household when fully funded. The program costs more than $8 billion per month nationally.
Millions of SNAP recipients began missing their expected November benefits starting Saturday, November 1, when the Agriculture Department suspended payments due to the government shutdown. By November 5, an estimated 13.7 million people will have been scheduled to receive benefits that were delayed, growing to 26.6 million by November 10.
Tuesday marked the 35th day of the government shutdown, tying the record for the longest in U.S. history—a record also set during Trump’s first term in 2018-2019. The Senate voted for the 14th time Tuesday to advance a House-passed continuing resolution to reopen the government, but the measure failed 54-44, falling short of the 60 votes needed.
Republicans and Democrats remain at an impasse, with Democrats refusing to support a funding bill that does not extend Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies, while Republicans oppose including those provisions. Some senators have expressed optimism that a deal could emerge this week following Tuesday’s elections.
On Monday, the Trump administration informed U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. in Rhode Island that it would allocate approximately $4.65 billion from SNAP’s contingency fund to cover about half of the normal November benefits for eligible households. The remaining $600 million in the fund is earmarked for state administrative costs and nutritional support for Puerto Rico and American Samoa.
Agriculture Department officials warned that the recalculation process for partial payments could cause significant delays, potentially ranging “anywhere from a few weeks to up to several months” in some states before benefits are distributed. The court had ordered that partial payments be made no later than Wednesday, November 5, 2025.
