The Trump Administration has been threatening to withhold SNAP benefits since the very beginning of the government shutdown.
Now, 36 days later, the Administration continues to deny, diminish and delay benefits that feed 16 million children — none of whom could be called Democrats or Republicans.
Wouldn’t it be nice if this were a surprise? Unfortunately, it is part of a well-defined and proudly publicized plan.
Federal spending on childhood nutrition is down more than 40% since Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, according to Children’s Budget 2025, and today stands at just more than 1% of all federal spending. But even those unfortunate numbers are about to nosedive further.
H.R. 1, aka: The One Big Beautiful Bill passed in July, made the largest cut to SNAP in its history — almost $200 billion over the next 10 years. The cuts go into effect next year. They become deeper the following year, and, in fact, become so unmanageable that experts predict some states will be forced to drop SNAP altogether. The shutdown simply gives the plan a head start (oops – another program that the Administration has targeted for termination).
As of today, the $5 billion contingency fund intended to keep SNAP benefits flowing during “contingencies” — i.e. government shutdowns and other disruptions — remains untapped by the Administration, despite a court order requiring them to pay benefits from it. (Fun Fact: During his first term, President Trump issued guidance indicating that these funds were available to SNAP during a government shutdown.)
The court has also ordered the Administration to find money to pay full and not just partial benefits. But a new analysis finds that even if the Administration complies, kids will get only a fraction of what they would usually receive — and some households won’t get any benefits at all.
We tell kids not to play with their food. Politicians shouldn’t either.