Federal Judge Thanks Trump, Orders Him to Make SNAP Payments
A federal judge in Rhode Island followed up his Friday oral ruling with a written order Saturday requiring President Donald Trump’s Agriculture Department to make full food stamp payments no later than end of day Monday, or alternatively, partial payments by the end of day Wednesday.
Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island was responding to the administration’s request for a written order, as well as Trump’s Friday night social media post asking the court for clarity as to how USDA could legally make the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments.
“I do not want Americans to go hungry,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after McConnell’s earlier ruling from the bench on Friday afternoon. “[I] ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible. . . . If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding.”
In his seven-page order Saturday, McConnell acknowledged the president’s social media post and wrote in a footnote: “The Court greatly appreciates the President’s quick and definitive response to this Court’s Order and his desire to provide the necessary SNAP funding.”
The Trump USDA has argued it has neither legal authority nor available funds in reserve to provide full November benefits given the ongoing partial government shutdown. Even if it could use SNAP contingency funds, the administration argued in court, those amounts wouldn’t be enough to cover full payments and it would be too difficult administratively to implement reduced benefits.”
Read more at Roll Call.