The U.S. Supreme Court has recently upheld an order that continues to block the issuance of full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments. This development occurs as the federal government resumes operations after a prolonged shutdown. The High Court's decision aligns with President Donald Trump's stance on the matter, as reported by the New York Post.
The government shutdown, which lasted 41 days, concluded with the Senate's decision on Sunday to fund the government through January 2026. The spending package, which passed with a 60-40 vote, included support from 8 Democratic senators. The bill now moves to the House for a vote.
During an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, President Trump discussed the SNAP program, highlighting his concerns about potential abuses of the system. He emphasized that the program was intended to assist those who are "down and out," expressing concern over able-bodied individuals choosing to quit their jobs to rely on SNAP benefits instead.
President Trump has been vocal about his views on the SNAP program, particularly critiquing the expansion of benefits under his predecessor's administration. On November 4, he took to Truth Social to announce that SNAP payments would resume only upon the government's reopening, attributing the increased funding during "Crooked Joe Biden's disastrous term" to the Democrats' actions.
The SNAP program, providing food assistance to approximately 42 million Americans, with children representing 40% of the recipients, awaits the House's decision on the spending package to continue its operations. The program has its roots in the Food Stamp Act of 1964, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, and has evolved over the decades since its inception during the Great Depression.
President Trump has criticized the expansion of SNAP benefits, claiming that the program's funding ballooned to $47 billion during the previous administration and was given to anyone who requested it. He argues that this was not the original purpose of SNAP and suggests that the program has become a "huge scam."
As the House prepares to vote on the spending package, the future of SNAP benefits and potential reforms remains a topic of discussion within the political landscape.
