Vice President JD Vance is taking aim at a federal judge’s decision ordering the government to continue paying Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits — even in the middle of a partial federal shutdown.
“The president and the entire administration are working on that, but we’re not going to do it under the orders of a federal judge. We’re going to do it according to what we think we have to do to comply with the law,” Vance told reportes.
The ruling came from U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr., based in Rhode Island. He ordered that SNAP benefits must continue, emphasizing that the federal government has “no business cutting SNAP benefits off” just because lawmakers have failed to agree on a spending bill.
Democrats quickly hailed the decision as a lifeline for millions of Americans who rely on SNAP to put food on the table. But Vance’s comments make clear that the White House is resisting what he frames as judicial overreach.
The partial government shutdown, which began October 1, has created widespread disruption: long airport lines, flight cancellations, unpaid federal workers, and hungry families turning to food banks in record numbers.
The clash highlights a stark divide in Washington — between those insisting basic needs come first and those arguing the administration won’t be dictated to by the courts.
For now, SNAP recipients are caught in the middle, and JD Vance’s words leave little doubt about where the administration stands: “We’re not going to do it.”
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