Representative Greg Stanton accused President Donald Trump of defying court orders regarding SNAP food assistance payments this week, calling his actions "illegal and despicable" as confusion grows over federal nutrition benefits during the government shutdown.
"Trump has been ordered by multiple courts to spend SNAP contingency funds on food assistance this month,” Stanton wrote on X.
The controversy stems from Donald Trump's statement on Truth Social, where he declared that SNAP benefits "will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!"
The social media post criticized what Trump called excessive spending during the Biden administration and suggested the program had expanded beyond those truly in need.
SNAP provides food assistance to millions of Americans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had planned to freeze SNAP payments starting November 1st due to the government shutdown, but two federal judges stepped in on Friday, October 31st, to block that action.
The Court Order
Judge Indira Talwani in Massachusetts and Judge John J. McConnell Jr. in Rhode Island both ruled that the administration must use emergency contingency funds to continue making payments.
McConnell ordered full payments by Monday or partial payments using all available contingency funds by Wednesday.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified this week that the administration is complying with court orders and sending payments. However, she warned that November's benefits are unlikely to arrive on time.
Leavitt explained that Trump’s post was intended to preserve emergency funds for potential disasters rather than using them for ongoing SNAP payments.
“He does not wanna have to keep tapping into an emergency fund and depleting it, and in the case of a catastrophe in this country, he wants to have those funds preserved,” she stated, adding that the president believes Democrats should end the government shutdown.
While the administration argues Democrats should reopen the government, Stanton has not backed down from his position that the president "is openly defying these court orders."
Additionally, Stanton's criticism reflects concerns that food assistance for vulnerable Americans should not be used as leverage in political battles over the government shutdown.
