President Donald Trump suggested he wouldn’t comply with a court order mandating federal support for SNAP after benefits were suspended. Although this isn’t the first time he threatened to defy direct orders, the consequences could result in 42 million Americans going without food as the federal shutdown reaches the longest in history.
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We previously told you two judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island gave the president an ultimatum after SNAP benefits were paused on Nov. 1. Both courts ordered that Trump pay out at least a portion of the money recipients depend on monthly. But although he agreed to comply with the courts’ ruling on Monday (Nov. 3), the president backtracked the very next day.
According to MSNBC, he took to Truth Social to declare that he would only hand out food stamps once the federal shutdown ends.
“SNAP BENEFITS, which increased by Billions and Billions of Dollars (MANY FOLD!) during Crooked Joe Biden’s disastrous term in office (Due to the fact that they were haphazardly ‘handed’ to anyone for the asking, as opposed to just those in need, which is the purpose of SNAP!), will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before,” he wrote.
Almost immediately, Trump’s threat to withhold SNAP funding was met with public scrutiny, especially since he has a well-documented history of defying court orders. Still, his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, spoke to reporters after his post to try to save face.
“The administration is fully complying with the court order,” Leavitt assured the public on Tuesday (Nov. 4). “We are digging into a contingency fund that is supposed to be for emergencies, catastrophes, for war, and the president does not want to have to tap into this fund in the future, and that’s what he was referring to in his Truth Social post,” she continued.
Nov. 1 marked the first time in U.S. history that food assistance was cut off to Americans. Trump previously insisted his hands were tied in light of the shutdown, but judges noted there’s a $5 billion emergency fund for times like these.
Leavitt clarified that the president’s post referred to all future SNAP payments. The judges’ orders only apply for the month of November.
Trump and the rest of the GOP continue to place blame on the Democrats after Congress failed to come to an agreement over the federal budget by Oct. 1. This shutdown is now the longest in American history as Democrats demand Republicans extend Affordable Care Act subsidies. On the flip side, Republicans are reportedly refusing any negotiations until the government opens back up.
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