Trump Asks Court to Block Full Funding of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• The Trump administration has appealed to the court to block full funding of SNAP benefits.
• Some states have already started issuing November benefits.
• The court has ordered the administration to utilize reserve funds for payments.

On November 7, 2025, the Trump administration appealed to the federal appeals court seeking to block a court ruling that requires full payment of benefits for November under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This ruling was made amid a prolonged government shutdown that has lasted over 38 days.

District Judge John J. McConnell confirmed that the government is required to utilize reserve funds for payments, especially since nearly 42 million Americans rely on this program to avoid going hungry. However, the administration has asked the court to suspend the enforcement of this requirement, citing a lack of funds in the reserve fund.

At the same time, some states, such as Wisconsin and California, have already begun issuing full November benefits. California Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed that additional assistance has begun to reach seven states, while in Wisconsin nearly 337,000 households have received benefits. This has become possible thanks to the swift reaction of local officials to the court's ruling.

The USDA stated that the process of funding the program has started, even as court proceedings continue. Concurrently, two courts have upheld a ruling that, due to which, the administration cannot stop payments, as this could lead to hunger in many families.

The management of the supplemental and agricultural assistance earlier reported that there are no legal grounds for utilizing reserve funds, yet now it is mandated to enforce the court ruling. Some states, including New York and New Jersey, have also confirmed that full payments should start arriving at the earliest possible dates.

Tags: USA/Politics