Nutrition Security: 42m Americans face uncertainty as Trump administration halts food stamps amid shutdown

*Over 42 million American consumers are bracing for expiry of critical food benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme from Saturday, November 1, 2025, amid the United States Government continued shutdown, as the US Department of Agriculture affirms it will not distribute food assistance funds this month due to the current shutdown, stating, ‘the well has run dry’

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

Amid the ongoing United States (US) Government shutdown, some tens of millions of American consumers are bracing for expiry of critical food benefits from Saturday, November 1, 2025.

ConsumerConnect gathered despite the relative success of the food side programme, several Americans have struggled to put food on the table and depend on food assistance from local churches and the US Government alike, to keep themselves fed in the country.

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Certain Ms. Manuel, an American consumer, was quoted to have commented: “I don’t want to have to have help from anybody, I want to be self-sufficient.”

Manuel is one of the over 42 million Americans, who may not get essential food assistance after Saturday, November 1, 2025, because of an ongoing government shutdown caused by the inability of the US Congress to agree a new funding deal for the economy.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme (SNAP) is used by one in eight Americans, including Ms. Manuel, and plays a vital role in how many people purchase their groceries.

The SNAP works by giving consumers reloadable debit cards that they can use to buy food to eat, BBC report said.

However, officials who oversee the programme reportedly said they would not have the funds to pay full benefits from 1 November this year.

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Again, Ms. Manuel spent the last of her October SNAP money last week on essentials like coffee, creamer and tuna, report stated.

It was further learnt that she could not pause to consider whether or not President Donald Trump’s administration would find a solution before Saturday when she made her purchases.

Manuel stated: “It’s either going to be there or it’s not.

“So, I might as well get what I need right now.”

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Earlier October, the Trump administration had declined to draw on a contingency fund that would have continued benefits.

The administration said that was needed for potential emergencies, such as natural disasters.

It is noted that at any rate, even those contingency funds would not have been enough to fully resolve the nutrition issue.

They would only cover about 60 percent of a single month of benefits payments, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), a think-tank focused on policies that help low-income families in the United States.

Hitherto, US Democrats and Republicans have disagreed over using the contingency funding to at least ease the situation.

Democrats have argued that the Trump administration has already secured funding for other essential services during the shutdown, such as keeping up payments to members of the military – so could do the same with SNAP.

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Meanwhile, Trump’s Republicans have said that SNAP will receive its funding, once again, if Democrats reopen the government, technically seeking to blame the opposition party for an impasse which is now in its fifth week, report noted.

Earlier Tuesday, Democrats in the US Senate introduced legislation to continue to fund SNAP during the shutdown.

It is, nonetheless, unclear if that has enough votes to pass, according to report.

While lawmakers in Washington continue to play the blame game, Hanna Garth, a Princeton University professor who studies Food Security, commented that “fundamental safety net” of SNAP for millions of American consumers hangs in the balance.

Garth said: “Many users make very little money, even though they work. “And so it becomes this critical lifeline that keeps families out of deep, deep poverty.

“It can also be the tipping point that moves some families above the poverty line.”

Because these funds might not be replenished from Saturday, November 1 onwards, several Americans will have to turn to other places to get food – like food banks, report said.

US states to the rescue

As uncertainty around nutrition security hangs in the air in the US Saturday, several states have pledged to use their own funds to cover any shortfall.

Report, however, indicated that the Trump-led Federal Government has warned that states would not be reimbursed.

Some states, including Florida, have said their SNAP recipients will lose benefits, if nothing is done before November 1.

In an effort at stopping that Tuesday, 25 Democrat Attorneys-General in 25 states plus the District of Columbia (DC) sued the Trump administration over its plan to halt funding for food aid via SNAP.

The lawmakers argued that a decision by the Trump administration to not use the contingency funds would be unlawful and deprive millions of Americans from being able to afford groceries, and other key necessities.

Responding to the lawsuit, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) blamed Democrats for the fund running dry.

The USDA said the party needed to decide whether it wanted to “hold out for the Far-Left wing of the party or reopen the government, so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive timely WIC and SNAP allotments”.

It is recalled that the US Government shutdown entered its 29th day Wednesday, and is the second-longest shutdown in history.

There has been no meaningful progress towards a deal to reopen the government, report noted.

Judges: Trump administration cannot suspend food aid lifeline for millions of low-income consumers

Meanwhile, two US Federal judges have ruled that the Trump administration could not suspend food aid used by about 42 million low-income Americans during the US Government shutdown.

The rulings said the government must pay for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme benefits, using emergency funds, agency report said late Saturday.

Responding on social media, President Trump, however, said he had instructed government lawyers to ask the courts how the administration could legally fund SNAP.

“Even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed,” Trump said.

The US Department of Agriculture’s Web site says it will not distribute food assistance funds in November due to the shutdown, saying “the well has run dry”.

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