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By Mandy Taheri
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which impacts roughly 42 million Americans, could resume as soon as Wednesday.
His comments come days after two federal judges ruled that the administration must use contingency funds to make SNAP payments.
Newsweek has reached out to the Treasury Department for comment via email on Sunday.
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Why It Matters
The federal government has been shut down since October 1, and Republicans and Democrats have been in a stalemate, trading blame back-and-forth over who is responsible for the shutdown and seeking to garner support for resolutions to reopen the government. The GOP holds a majority in the House and Senate but requires Democratic support to reach a deal.
The shutdown has resulted in many federal employees working without pay or furloughed. Several crucial benefits and services have also been paused, with SNAP at the center of policy debates.
SNAP is issued monthly to nearly 42 million Americans, with nearly 75 percent of SNAP households at or below the poverty level. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has said that these benefits will not be paid until the shutdown ends, which has raised concerns among many constituents and led a coalition of Democratic-led states to sue the government over its failure to use contingency funds for the matter.
On Friday, two federal judges ruled the administration must continue to pay the benefit with emergency funds. The delay in payouts is expected to leave millions of people without sufficient funds for their groceries.
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What To Know
On Sunday, Bessent told CNN’s Jake Tapper on State of the Union that “there’s a process that has to be followed” in order to determine how to allocate the funds for the in limbo SNAP benefits, noting that the administration has "to figure out what the process is."
Both judges separately ruled that the administration must at least partially pay SNAP recipients this month amid the ongoing government shutdown.
A federal judge in Rhode Island, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ruled on Friday that the administration must use some emergency funding to bankroll the SNAP benefits payout.
He said on Friday, “There is no question that the congressionally approved contingency funds must be used now because of the shutdown.”
Similarly, another judge, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, also ruled on Friday that the USDA must continue SNAP payments during the shutdown, calling the suspension “unlawful.” She directed the government to advise her by Monday on whether the USDA will fully or partially fund the program.
USDA has argued that it lacks the legal authority and sufficient funds to provide full SNAP benefits for November amid the ongoing partial government shutdown. The agency also contended in court that even if contingency funds were available, they would not cover the full payments and implementing reduced benefits nationwide would be administratively challenging. According to administration lawyers, $5.25 billion is currently available in the program’s contingency fund, though ensuring full payments for November could require at least $8.5 billion.
The treasury secretary told Tapper, “President Trump wants to make sure that people get their food benefits.” Benefits are already late, and the process of loading up cards can take weeks in some states, pushing the timeline back even further for when the cash might arrive for some people.
Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Friday: “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.” He added that the administration and its legal team are exploring how to “legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.”
Tapper followed up on Sunday, asking Bessent, “So it could be done by Wednesday?” to which Bessent said that it “could be. And five Democratic senators could cross the aisle and open the government by Wednesday,” he added, echoing the administration's stance on the government shutdown.
Local food banks and community volunteers have been mobilizing for days, stocking shelves and launching neighborhood food pantries in preparation and support of those who are not going to receive SNAP benefits in a timely manner. Some states have declared a state of emergency, such as New York with Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul directing more than $100 million for emergency food supplies.
What People Are Saying
California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a Friday statement: "I'm proud to see courts agree that the Trump Administration has a legal responsibility to support the SNAP program. The USDA needs to release all available funding for this critical program immediately. We’re not going to sit idly by while families go hungry. It’s cruel, it’s immoral, and it’s beneath us as a nation. California will keep fighting to make sure people get the food assistance they need and deserve."
Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, said in an October 30 X post sharing a graph related to SNAP spending: "This is an alarming trend. We need to ask ourselves why so many Americans are on SNAP."
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in an October 30 X post: "If there are any Democrats out there who care about the damage this shutdown is doing, then I have a bill at the desk: A clean, nonpartisan CR to fund WIC, SNAP, troop pay, air traffic controller pay, farm programs, housing assistance, national defense, and more."
Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, said in an X post on October 30: "They are refusing to spend money that Congress appropriated for the SNAP program to feed hungry Americans in the event of a shutdown. The money is there, appropriated. They refuse to spend it. They are trying to make a political point by allowing children in America to go hungry, that is disgusting."
What Happens Next?
Trump officials are due to tell federal judges by Monday how the administration plans to fund November SNAP benefits.
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