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.