After two court orders Friday, president asks for more clarity about how to distribute food benefits
By Guy Page
A federal court in Massachusetts ruled Friday the Trump Administration must decide by Monday whether to use a $6 billion reserve fund to pay for SNAP benefits during the government shutdown.
Hours later, Trump said on Truth Social he would comply – but wants the court “to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.”
“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,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT,” he continued. “Therefore, I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.”
SNAP benefits likely still would be delayed November, Trump said, urging Democrats to end the shutdown.
If the administration fails to comply, Judge Indira Talwani will likely order the spending as requested by Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark and 22 other AGs.
Congress has already set aside the money and the Administration must spend it, the judge said.
“Congress appropriated $6 billion to SNAP in 2024 as a contingency reserve through 2026, ‘to be used in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations,’” Talwani quoted the law. The reserve fund ”must be deployed to fund SNAP benefits,” she claimed.
“Defendants are statutorily mandated to use the previously appropriated SNAP contingency reserve when necessary and also have discretion to use other previously appropriated funds,” Talwani wrote.
However, Talwani stopped just short of immediately granting the order requested by Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark and a coalition of 22 other attorneys generals: “The Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order remains under advisement.”
Instead, she ordered that “no later than Monday, November 3, Defendants [Trump Administration] shall advise the court whether they will authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November.”
If the administration refuses, she will then issue a ruling – almost certainly mandating use of the reserve fund.
Clark called the decision “significant,” saying it leaves the administration “no choice” but to explain how it will fund benefits.
As to Trump’s reference to two court decisions: In a separate Rhode Island case, another federal judge on Friday ordered the administration to distribute SNAP aid immediately.
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Categories: National News
SNAP benefits cost the U.S. government approximately $100.3 billion annually, which translates to about $1.93 billion per week. This spending is primarily directed towards providing food assistance to low-income individuals and families.
USAFacts Library of Congress
That means that $6 Billion will in reserves will last 3 weeks.
Sounds like a good cop bad cop soap opera and the snap group are invited to the new white house ball room for the first dance. Comment from Richard day.
So if reserve will last for three weeks of SNAP benefits, Schumer better permit his Democrats to vote yes on reopening Government since every single one voted NO and 100% of GOP voted YES! This will also permit something important to rural areas such as Vermont which is totally being missed, the Democrat plan to defund $50 Billion from Rural Hospitals will be stalled if they reopen Government
A second, Rhode Island federal judge also ordered the SNAP paid. Did I not predict this on the radio show three hours before it happened ?
Congress has stopped payment ts to SNAP not Trump. Judges better get knowledge who’s at fault and stop going after Trump. Only Congress can institute financial policies. Case of TDS. Trump wants the Government to stop the Dem shut down Filibuster.
The media scapegoats. Trump.
Maybe trump should ask Argentina for some money. I hear they are doing well.
Do you think that TACO’s are eligible for SNAP benefits since Trump served them to Xi Thursday and to America yesterday?
We’ve already made money as of end of last week on the Argentinian Currency Swap, their peso we have in inventory has increased in value in last week, increasing the value of our holding. We gave them dollars they gave us equal value of Argentinian Pesos. Currency swaps have been going on since Brenton Woods and are at discretion of US Treasury, the Executive Branch.
Yes, Argentina’s economy is showing clear signs of improvement under President Milei’s libertarian reforms — emphasizing fiscal austerity, deregulation, and reduced public spending. Its economy has stabilized and begun recovering, though challenges persist in areas like unemployment and stock market performance.
China will continue to purchase soybeans from Argentina too, although recent Argentine exports are estimated to be lower than usual because of Argentina’s recent growing season weather.
Interestingly, despite recent protestations by some here on VDC on the effects of tariffs, China has now agreed to buy 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans for the remainder this year (2025) and at least 25 million metric tons annually over the next three years, returning to regular U.S. purchasing levels. The commitment follows a recent trade agreement between the U.S. and China.
And yes, while these are mere facts of the matter, we all know that some VDC readers still believe facts are meaningless.
Clinton did the same thing with Mexico and it netted around a half billion dollars for the US. Mexico paid back everything with interest about three years early.
Jay, I can read in your tone that you know that we didn’t win anything with China and we were lucky that we were allowed to save face and that they didn’t call in our debt. Everything we went through to get back to square one and some empty promises on fentanyl. Do you think that it was worth it? (probably) Our economy is clearly in recession, but then again someone fired all the people that report those numbers. Wonder why. Something, something facts.
There are some VDC readers (me) that could explain extensively that no, Argentina’s economy is not showing signs of improvement. In fact, a drug-addicted. chainsaw wielding libertarian has been terrible for their economy. 50% devaluation in the Peso doesn’t sound good to me. Do strong economies need bailouts? Doesn’t sound very America First to me. (even though the money is going to go to bailout Paul Singers investments)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/01/argentinians-struggling-milei-chainsaw-austerity
“ (probably) Our economy is clearly in recession, but then again someone fired all the people that report those numbers”
The definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative GDP. The GDP for the second quarter ticked higher than expected 3.8%, 3rd quarter GDP is anticipated to be in positive territory, but is pending due to “the lapse in appropriation” according to the federal Bureau of economic analysis. In short, There is no recession as of yet.
https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gross-domestic-product
Re: “Jay, I can read in your tone that you know that we didn’t win anything with China and we were lucky that we were allowed to save face and that they didn’t call in our debt.”
You’re deluded. Apparently, facts are meaningless for you too. I recommend that you take some time to watch Joe Rogan’s interview with Elon Musk, yesterday, and try to understand what ‘social contagions’ are. I don’t have to ‘read in your tone’ that you’re infected. The symptoms are obvious. I’m telling you for your own good, that I think you need some help. At the very least, do your own research and don’t follow others blindly into the night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4wBUysNe2k
In the meantime, consider the facts of the China/U.S. trade deal, meaningless as you may believe they are.
China will issue general licenses for exports of rare earths, gallium, germanium, antimony, and graphite, effectively removing restrictions imposed in 2022 and April 2025. These materials are essential for U.S. semiconductors, electric vehicles, solar panels, and defense tech. The pause prevents shortages that could disrupt auto production and tech manufacturing, reducing costs for U.S. firms like Nvidia and Tesla.
China will terminate antitrust, anti-monopoly, and anti-dumping probes into U.S. semiconductor firms and allow trade resumption from Nexperia facilities for legacy chips. The U.S. paused its expansion of the Commerce Department’s entity list (affecting Chinese affiliates). This eases supply chain bottlenecks for U.S. auto and electronics sectors, potentially averting production halts.
China pledged to stop exporting chemicals used to produce fentanyl into North America. The U.S. will reduce fentanyl-related tariffs on Chinese imports by 10 percentage points (halving the 20% rate). This addresses a major public health emergency, with over 100,000 U.S. overdose deaths annually linked to fentanyl, potentially saving lives and reducing healthcare costs.
The U.S. suspended heightened tariffs on Chinese goods until November 2026 and paused actions under Section 301 investigations into China’s maritime/shipbuilding dominance. China lifted retaliatory non-tariff barriers, including entity lists targeting U.S. companies. This lowers import costs for U.S. consumers and businesses, stabilizing prices amid inflation concerns.
The deal has been hailed as a catalyst for global economic stability, with the IMF projecting a modest uptick in 2025 world output to 3.2% (from 3.0% previously). U.S. stock futures rose over 100 points post-announcement, signaling investor relief from trade war fears.
By securing rare earth flows and chip access, the U.S. reduces reliance on China for critical inputs, aligning with efforts to onshore manufacturing under the CHIPS Act.
In summary, the U.S. gained substantially from this agreement—through boosted farm exports, stabilized tech supplies, fentanyl curbs, and tariff relief—averting a deeper trade war that could have cost trillions in global GDP. These wins prioritize American agriculture, manufacturing, and health, though long-term enforcement will be key to realizing full value.
Re: Argentina president Javier Milei.
There is no credible evidence that Argentina’s President Javier Milei is a drug addict. Claims suggesting otherwise appear to stem from unsubstantiated rumors, political mudslinging, and speculation about his energetic public persona or mental health—often amplified on social media and by critics. The most prominent accusation came from Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente, who suggested Milei ingested “substances” during his 2023 campaign, referencing his TV appearances. Puente later called his remark a “big mistake” and apologized.
Milei, a self-described anarcho-capitalist, has consistently advocated for drug legalization as a matter of personal freedom, provided it doesn’t burden the state (e.g., via public health costs).
The sky isn’t falling – at least not in the way you and many other infected people think it is. Get some help. If you continue to misunderstand the world around you, it will, ultimately, jeopardize your wellbeing.
The moonbat community has organized protests calling the President a “king”, as they see him as exceeding his lawful authority. A real king would just be able to decree a continuance of funding, but our laws provide that congress holds the purse strings. Trump is being “ordered” by moonbat judges to restore funding, but his hands are tied by law. It is Hakeem and Cuck Schumer who are behaving like royalty…royal pains in the behind.
Mark Warner (D-VA) is currently on Face the Nation and he was just asked if he would cross the aisle and vote to open the country back up… his lips were flapping for a couple minutes in response, and I wanted to poke my eyes out, and NEVER answered the actual question… I’m so sick of this SSSSSSSH**TTTTT and these lying entitled moonbats
Trump just bailed out the wall street hedge funds invested in Argentina and also the mid west farmers that lost the soy bean contacts with China. The truth is stranger than fiction and i do not have a dime invested in these ponzi schemes. Looks like some comments here are met to confuse the public. Comment from Richard Day. The art of the DEAL is all you can STEAL and the Wall Street group are doing a good job of it.
The extended social welfare conglomeration is a vast “Ponzi Scheme”.
Lets get this straight. Trump is being ordered by Wall Street rich investment groups to bail out their bad investments and are holding the American people hostage with the SNAP control operations. Now is there any questions???? They need riots in the street to push for Marshal Law. Comment from Richard Day.
Very interesting, particularly since for the last few decades big investment houses on Wall Street and run by Democrat or Socialist leaning people; vocally Hillary and Obama supporters, these groups are proven to have TDS, hence they would be betting on him to fail not bail them out.
Chris, There is great improvement in a short time following the change caused by the October election of a centrists to right replacing the far left socialist previously in charge