Trump Administration Utilizes Emergency Fund for Food Stamp Payments Amid Shutdown

Tue Nov 04 2025 06:42:39 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In response to the longest government shutdown, the Trump administration announces emergency funding to provide partial food assistance to over 42 million Americans dependent on the SNAP program.

Amid an ongoing government shutdown, the Trump administration has resorted to using emergency funding to partially support food stamp benefits for more than 42 million Americans. A court ruling mandated the USDA to distribute reduced aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), caused by budget constraints due to the shutdown. The USDA's use of $5.25 billion in contingency funds aims to alleviate concerns over food security as states prepare to distribute these emergency benefits.

US President Donald Trump's administration has stated it will provide reduced food aid to over 42 million Americans as the government shutdown nears a record duration without resolution.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed in a legal document that recipients of food assistance will receive half of their normal monthly allotment, following a decision to tap into emergency funding.

Federal judges had given the Trump administration until Monday to delineate plans for issuing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, colloquially known as food stamps.

The funding for the program has hung in uncertainty amid the prolonged government closure which began on October 1.

Though individual states are responsible for administrating the benefits, the program is reliant on federal funding, which has been unavailable during the current shutdown.

States are expected to receive directives on distributing the reduced funds by the end of the day on Monday.

Federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island have ruled that the USDA must use $5.25 billion in emergency funds to ensure at least partial payments for SNAP recipients, which cost an estimated $8 billion per month.

President Trump had previously communicated his intent for the government’s legal team to ascertain how it could legally distribute SNAP benefits, indicating that even with guidance, delays might occur.

On Sunday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed in a CNN interview that the president was eager to get updates from the courts on legally reallocation to fund SNAP payments, with potential payouts beginning as soon as Wednesday.

Half the states and the District of Columbia have filed lawsuits against the administration for halting food-aid disbursement, asserting that they must continue the program. Some states even proposed using their own finances to fund SNAP benefits independently.

For many low-income households, SNAP provides essential grocery access, issuing reloadable debit cards from which individuals can purchase food items. A typical family of four receives around $715 per month, or just under $6 per person daily.