Aww SNAP

Trump Administration Directs States to Reverse Full SNAP Benefits Following Supreme Court Stay

November 9, 2025

On November 9, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued guidance instructing states to halt and reverse any distribution of full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November that had been issued under recent federal court orders.[1][2][3] The directive follows a temporary stay granted late on November 7 by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, pausing lower court rulings that required the Trump administration to fully fund the program amid an ongoing government shutdown.[4][5]

SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, provides grocery assistance to approximately 42 million low-income Americans, with monthly costs typically ranging from $8 billion to $9 billion.[6][7] The shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, initially led the USDA to announce that November benefits would not be funded due to exhausted appropriations.[8][9]

The impasse stems from broader disputes over fiscal year 2026 appropriations, including Republican-led efforts earlier in 2025 to rescind billions in foreign aid and public broadcasting funds through mechanisms like the Rescissions Act of 2025 and pocket rescissions.[10][11] Democrats have sought guarantees against further unilateral cuts to previously appropriated funds, while the administration has prioritized reductions in foreign assistance.[12]

Legal challenges ensued, with lawsuits from states, nonprofits, and local governments arguing that the administration could tap contingency funds or other reserves.[13][14] On October 31, federal judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts ordered at least partial funding using a $5 billion SNAP contingency reserve.[15] By November 3, the administration committed to partial benefits (initially estimated at around 50-65% of normal allotments), but delays were anticipated due to technical and administrative issues.[16]

The USDA briefly indicated compliance on November 7, and several states—including New York, Wisconsin, Oregon, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania—began loading full benefits onto electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards.[17][18] The administration appealed, securing the Supreme Court stay pending review by the First Circuit Court of Appeals.[19]

In a November 8 memo, USDA Deputy Undersecretary Patrick Penn stated that full issuances were "unauthorized" and directed states to "immediately undo" them, reverting to partial benefits (approximately 65%). Noncompliance could result in penalties, such as withheld administrative reimbursements or liability for overissuances.[20][21]

Critics, including plaintiffs in the lawsuits and some Democratic officials, have accused the administration of using SNAP disruptions as leverage in shutdown negotiations, alleging intentional delays and withholding to pressure concessions on broader spending priorities, including foreign aid reductions.[22][23][24] Judge John McConnell echoed this in his rulings, rebuking the administration for "withholding SNAP benefits for political reasons" and noting President Trump's statements linking funding to the shutdown's resolution.[25][26] The administration has denied using SNAP as leverage, describing Trump's comments as "stating a fact" about legal constraints and emphasizing that diverting funds risks other nutrition programs.[27][28]

State responses varied. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers refused to reverse issuances, stating benefits were loaded legally.[29] Oregon Governor Tina Kotek assured residents that already-issued funds remain usable.[30] More than two dozen states, mostly Democratic-led, warned of "catastrophic operational disruptions" and sought federal reimbursement guarantees.[31]

As of November 9, the matter remains in legal flux, with potential for further appeals or congressional intervention to resolve funding.[32] Recipients in affected states are advised to check local agencies for updates on benefit status.