Trump administration to provide reduced food aid as shutdown nears record

November 3, 2025

The Trump administration announced it will distribute only half the regular monthly food assistance to over 42 million Americans receiving SNAP benefits due to an ongoing government shutdown that has lasted more than a month. Federal courts in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ordered the USDA to use $5. 25 billion in emergency contingency funds to provide at least partial payments, though this falls short of the program's typical $8 billion monthly cost.

Who is affected

More than 42 million Americans who receive SNAP benefits (food stamps)
Low-income families, including an average family of four that typically receives $715 per month
Individual US states that administer SNAP benefits
The District of Columbia
Cities and non-profits that filed lawsuits
Half the states that sued the administration over the food-aid freeze

What action is being taken

The USDA is providing reduced food aid (half the normal monthly allotment) to SNAP recipients
The government is dipping into $5.25 billion in emergency contingency funds
States are distributing the reduced funds
Half the states and the District of Columbia are suing the administration over the food-aid freeze
Cities and non-profits are filing separate lawsuits
Some states are using their own money to fund SNAP benefits

Why it matters

This matters because millions of low-income Americans depend on SNAP benefits to purchase groceries, with benefits averaging less than $6 per day per person for a family of four. The reduction to half their normal allotment during an extended government shutdown creates immediate food insecurity for vulnerable populations who rely on this assistance to meet basic nutritional needs.

What's next

States will receive clarity on how to distribute the reduced funds by the end of Monday
Payments could go out as soon as Wednesday, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
The administration needs to determine the legal process for moving money to fund SNAP payments

Read full article from source: BBC