After days of defiance and mounting legal pressure, President Trump appears to be backing down. On Friday, he signaled he would move to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the federal food aid program that millions rely on — if given “the appropriate legal direction.” The announcement came just hours after two federal judges ordered his administration to unlock emergency funds for the program.
SNAP benefits were set to lapse Saturday amid the still-unresolved government shutdown. Until now, Trump officials had stood firm, insisting they wouldn’t touch the emergency fund. That stance collapsed after U.S. District Judge John McConnell’s ruling forced their hand.
“Our Government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available, and now two Courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
It’s the kind of hedging that’s become familiar during this shutdown — a mix of grievance, legal finger-pointing, and an attempt to frame Democrats as the villains.
“I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT,” Trump continued. “Therefore, I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.”
The president also acknowledged that even if the funds were released, there would likely be delays in benefits for November. He urged Americans to pressure Democrats to end the shutdown — an argument that rings hollow to many given that a federal judge had to step in just to keep food assistance flowing.
Earlier Friday, Judge McConnell rejected the administration’s claim that the emergency fund could only be used for natural disasters like hurricanes. Instead, he ordered the USDA to use the funds “timely or as soon as possible” and report back by Monday.
It’s a rare rebuke — and a clear legal setback — for a White House that’s been testing the limits of executive power throughout the shutdown. Trump had already tapped other funding sources to keep military paychecks going, but the idea of using the same approach for SNAP had become a political flashpoint.
Now, after weeks of insisting his hands were tied, Trump’s pivot shows the pressure is finally getting to him. Courts are intervening. Millions of families are on edge. And Trump, once again, is scrambling to control a crisis of his own making.
