In a significant development, two federal judges have mandated the Trump administration to continue funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) using emergency funds during the ongoing government shutdown.

The rulings, delivered late Friday, narrowly averted a freeze on SNAP payments that the Department of Agriculture was poised to implement. The department argued that the prolonged shutdown had left them without the resources to sustain the program.

In response, former President Donald Trump expressed skepticism about the legality of continuing SNAP funding under current conditions. Nevertheless, he committed to exploring all legal avenues by consulting with his legal team.

“I do not want Americans to suffer from hunger because the Radical Democrats refuse to do their job and reopen the government,” Trump stated. “Therefore, I have asked our legal team to seek clarification from the court on how we can legally proceed with funding SNAP as quickly as possible.”

Trump added, “If the court provides the necessary legal guidance, it will be my honor to ensure funding, just as I have done with payments for the military and law enforcement.”

Moreover, Trump urged SNAP beneficiaries to reach out to House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer with their concerns, suggesting that their grievances be directed at him.

SNAP is a major piece of the social safety net used by nearly 42 million, or about 1 in 8 Americans, to help buy groceries. 

Word in October that it would be a Nov. 1 casualty of the shutdown sent states, food banks and SNAP recipients scrambling to figure out how to secure food. 

Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that Donald Trump ‘s administration must continue to fund SNAP using contingency funds during the government shutdown

Volunteers prepare to give out food packages for the needy at a food distribution event sponsored by the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida due to loss of SNAP funding

Some states said they would spend their own funds to keep versions of the program going.

It wasn´t immediately clear how quickly the debit cards that beneficiaries use to buy groceries could be reloaded after the ruling. 

That process often takes one to two weeks.

Another government assistance program that could be impacted as early as next week is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

WIC is a specialized food assistance program geared at pregnant women, new mothers, and young children.

The Trump administration has already rerouted $300 million in proceeds from tariff revenue to provide additional funding to keep the program afloat after previously allocated funds were scheduled to run out earlier in October.

Amid the political dysfunction in Washington DC that may lead to the longest government shutdown in history,  some governors, particularly in red states, have decided to step up and provide food benefits. 

Governors of Virginia, Vermont, and Louisiana  have ‘pledged to backfill food aid for recipients even while the shutdown stalls the federal program, though state-level details haven’t been announced,’ per the Associated Press.

The rulings came a day before the Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown 

A member of the National Guard packs food at a Los Angeles Regional Food Bank facility, as nearly 42 million Americans face a potential lapse in (SNAP) benefits

California Governor Gavin Newsom and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, both Democrats, have made moves to stock up food banks across their states.

Hochul noted Monday that she planned to fast tracking $30 million in emergency food assistance, and Newsom is making $80 million available, as well as sending the National Guard to help run food banks, also some locations have rejected the troops’ help.

The Trump Administration has noted that states that choose to spend money on their food programs will not be reimbursed for their actions.

While pain from the federal shutdown may soon be felt across the country in a widespread manner, it is also hitting in Washington, DC. 

Staffers in the US Senate have already missed a paycheck, and House staffers were notified Wednesday that they will also miss their next salary payments at the end of the month.

The shutdown stems from a partisan dispute over health care subsidies for the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, which serve approximately 24 million Americans who don’t have employer-based insurance or public coverage like Medicaid. 

Democrats fear that any budget agreement could be undone through rescissions, a rarely-used presidential power that Trump revived earlier this year to codify spending cuts recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency.

The Senate has held repeated votes on a House-passed continuing resolution, with most Democrats voting against it and Republicans supporting it. But the Senate needs 60 votes to break the stalemate and has not been able to achieve that number. 

The Republican-led House has remained in recess throughout the entire shutdown and has not held any votes, though Speaker Mike Johnson said the chamber was on 24-hour notice to return if needed

A store displays a sign accepting Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) purchases for groceries

Meanwhile, the Republican-led House has remained in recess throughout the entire shutdown and has not held any votes, though Speaker Mike Johnson said the chamber was on 24-hour notice to return if needed. 

Originally known as the food stamp program, it has existed since 1964, serving low-income people, many of whom have jobs but don´t make enough to cover all basic costs.

There are income limits based on family size, expenses and whether households include someone who is elderly or has a disability.

Most participants are families with children, and more than 1 in 3 include older adults or someone with a disability.

Nearly 2 in 5 recipients are households where someone is employed.

Most participants have incomes below the poverty line, about $32,000 for a family of four, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The Agriculture Department, which administers SNAP, says nearly 16 million children received benefits in 2023.