Oop! These federal judges aren’t playing with the Donald Trump administration as one just ordered them to fully fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by Friday (November 7).
RELATED: No SNAP Benefits To Be Issued In November As Government Shutdown Continues
On October 31 — with a looming pause to SNAP benefits on November 1, due to the ongoing government shutdown — a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to use contingency funds for SNAP benefits payments. Trump reacted to the news on Truth Social and said:
“Our Government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available, and now two Courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do. I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT. Therefore, I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible. It is already delayed enough due to the Democrats keeping the Government closed through the monthly payment date and, even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed while States get the money out. If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, just like I did with Military and Law Enforcement Pay. The Democrats should quit this charade where they hurt people for their own political reasons, and immediately REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT. If you use SNAP benefits, call the Senate Democrats, and tell them to reopen the Government, NOW! Here is Cryin’ Chuck Schumer’s Office Number: (202) 224-6542.”
During a press conference on Air Force One, Trump later added, “When you talk about SNAP, you talk about, largely, Democrats.”
RELATED: Trump Administration To Partially Fund SNAP After Judge Orders Continuation Of Food Aid Program
Trump Administration Appeals After Federal Judge Orders It To Fully Fund SNAP Benefits Amid Government Shutdown
By November 3, the Trump administration backed down and announced that it would only “partially” fund SNAP after at least two federal judges ordered the continuation of the food aid program.
Now, during a hearing on Thursday (November 6), U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr., a Barack Obama appointee, said the Trump administration violated his earlier written order. It gave the government two options for compliance: 1) The administration had discretion to make full payments — which would not need to go through the same administrative hurdles — as soon as practical. 2) The government also had the option to make partial payments, but was required to do so by Wednesday (November 5).
Judge McConnell said:
“That’s the plain reading of the court’s order, and instead the government did nothing to ensure that the money would be paid on Wednesday. Last weekend, SNAP benefits lapsed for the first time in our nation’s history. This is a problem that could have and should have been avoided. [The government] knew there would be a long delay in paying [partial] SNAP benefits and failed to consider the harms individuals who rely on those benefits would suffer.”
McConnell added, “People have gone without for too long. Not making payments to them for even another day is simply unacceptable.” Immediately after the decision, the Trump administration appealed it to the First Circuit Court of Appeals.
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