Donald Trump and his political cohort appear to be facing a critical dilemma. They have adeptly wielded spending authority to ensure military personnel receive their paychecks, yet they stubbornly refuse to apply that same authority to provide essential SNAP assistance for 41.7 million vulnerable individuals, including children, the elderly, and those living with disabilities.
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The Department of Agriculture is sitting on a $5 billion emergency fund, a sum it could deploy as early as November to support SNAP. According to the USDA’s fiscal plan for 2026, the authority to release these funds is firmly in place.
However, the Trump administration has mysteriously scrubbed this fiscal plan from the USDA’s official site and issued new directives that curtail any release of these vital funds. Ironically, the same authority was invoked to ensure military personnel received their compensation without delay.
SNAP, as a mandatory entitlement program, enjoys its own congressionally appropriated emergency fund. The USDA previously acknowledged that Congress intended for SNAP’s operations to persist even in the face of a government shutdown, stating, “Congressional intent is evident that SNAP’s operations should continue.”
The contingency funds in question were established “to ensure that the state can also continue operations during a Federal Government shutdown.” This leaves one wondering: why the sudden change in stance from the Trump administration?
With no justifiable defense for this abrupt policy shift, Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, appear to have painted themselves into a corner. Senate Democrats have introduced legislation to compel the release of funds for both SNAP and WIC, yet Johnson has opted to shutter the House, presenting a bewildering double standard while millions face food insecurity.
Read more and watch the video of Johnson below.
