SNAP benefits: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested that he won’t provide food aid, which reaches 42 million Americans, until govt shutdown ends.
Referring to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, in a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “SNAP benefits will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before.”
With no major breakthroughs in sight, the US government shutdown, which has entered its 35th day on Tuesday, matching a record set during President Donald Trump’s first term, appears almost certain to become the longest in history.
“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,” Trump posted Tuesday on social media.
Trump’s remark comes amid the administration saying that it plans to partially fund November food benefits for millions of Americans. The administration has also warned that it could take some states weeks or months to calculate and distribute the aid.
Meanwhile, White House said that the administration is fully complying with court order on SNAP benefits.
A USDA official warned in the court filing that at least some states, which administer SNAP benefits, would need weeks to months to make system changes that would allow them to calculate and issue the reduced benefits, reported Reuters.
Partial payments are unprecedented in the program’s 60-year history, which provides assistance to nearly 42 million low-income Americans.
In the meantime, some states have hurried to pay benefits themselves or buoyed support for food banks.
Mary Martin, who volunteers at the pantry, also relies on it regularly for food to supplement her SNAP payments. She said she usually splits her roughly $200 a month in SNAP benefits between herself and her two adult sons, one of whom has six children and is especially dependent on the assistance.
“If I didn’t have the pantry to come to, I don’t know how we would make it. I’m not gonna see my grandkids suffer,” reported AP quoting Martin.
