Millions of Americans waiting for food assistance will need to keep waiting a bit longer. President Donald Trump announced that payments from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) won’t be sent until the government reopens.
In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump said SNAP funds “will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before”. His statement came just one day after administration officials said they would partially fund the program following court orders. Here’s what this means for the millions who depend on SNAP and where the situation stands now.
When will SNAP payments go out?
For now, the federal government says no new SNAP payments will be distributed until the shutdown ends. This decision directly affects about 42 million Americans—roughly one in eight people in the U.S.—who use SNAP to help cover grocery costs each month.
The announcement reversed the administration’s earlier position. On Monday, the White House said it would use emergency funds to cover half of November’s benefits after federal judges in Rhode Island and Boston ordered the government to continue payments. But by Tuesday, Trump made it clear that all future payments would be paused until Congress and the White House reach a deal to reopen the government.
The administration cited legal and logistical challenges in delivering full benefits during the shutdown. Officials said only 50 percent of typical payments could be distributed under current funding limits, since the Department of Agriculture’s contingency fund—which holds about $6 billion—falls short of the $8 billion needed to sustain the program each month.
That means millions of families, children, and seniors will have to wait, possibly for weeks, before receiving their food benefits. The USDA is expected to issue new guidance once the shutdown ends, outlining when payments will resume and how much recipients will receive.
Lawmakers from both parties have weighed in. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said the president “is desperate for SNAP benefits to flow to the American citizens who desperately rely upon it”, but claimed there are “legal impediments” preventing full payments.
Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar urged the administration to use all available funding sources, saying the White House “should stop playing politics with hunger”.
What’s happening with SNAP right now
The SNAP program, commonly known as food stamps or EBT, helps low-income families buy groceries using a monthly electronic benefit. It’s one of the most widely used federal safety-net programs in the country, serving over 40 million people nationwide.
Currently, states are unable to process new payments because SNAP funding flows through the federal government. While a few states have explored temporary options to cover shortfalls, most don’t have the budget to replace federal dollars. Local food banks and nonprofit organizations are now seeing an increase in demand, as households scramble to fill the gap.
Advocacy groups and Democratic attorneys general have filed new motions to require the federal government to resume payments, citing existing court orders that compel the USDA to continue funding SNAP during the shutdown. Those legal battles are ongoing and could determine whether families receive any support before the government fully reopens. For now, SNAP benefits won’t go out until the shutdown ends.