Trump's Threat to Pull SNAP Funding Causes Confusion

The White House confirmed Tuesday millions of Americans will still receive partial food assistance this month despite a threat from President Trump on social media earlier in the day to withhold funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program until the government reopens.

• Trump's post on Truth Social, which stated that SNAP funds would only be released "when the Radical Left Democrats open up government," created confusion and prompted urgent clarifications from both lawmakers and administration officials, Politico reports. Earlier in the day, the USDA issued guidance directing states to pay out half of November's benefits.

• White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is "fully complying" with a court order to use emergency funds to pay benefits. "I just spoke to the president about it. The recipients of these SNAP benefits need to understand it's going to take time to receive this money because the Democrats have forced the administration into a very untenable position," she said.
• "The president is referring to future SNAP payments," Leavitt explained. "He does not want to have to keep tapping into an emergency fund and depleting it in the case of a catastrophe in this country." The administration's assurance follows a federal court order requiring it to use emergency funds to provide at least some SNAP benefits.

Plaintiffs in the ongoing case that led to the court order filed a new motion Tuesday, arguing that the administration's move to provide only partial payments is "arbitrary and capricious" and warning that it will cause immediate harm to families," Politico reports. Judge John McConnell Jr. is set to hold a hearing on the matter Thursday. After Trump's Truth Social post, Democrats warned that there would be a crisis if he ignored the order to fund a program 42 million Americans rely on, the AP reports. "If he continues to ignore the courts, then we're in a full blown and five alarm constitutional crisis," said Sen. Chris Murphy. "So the president doesn't get to pick and choose which court orders he complies with."