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U.S. NEWS Monday 10 noveMber 2025

Trump administration demands states 'undo' full SNAP payouts as

states warn of 'catastrophic impact'

By SCOTT BAUER and NICH- ditures made during the
OLAS RICCARDI shutdown.
Associated Press More than two-dozen
President Donald Trump's states represented by
administration is demand- Democratic attorneys gen-
ing states "undo" full SNAP eral on Saturday warned
benefits paid out under in a court filing that, even
judges' orders last week, before the Supreme Court
now that the U.S. Supreme put the rulings on hold, the
Court has stayed those Trump administration was
rulings, marking the latest refusing to reimburse them
swing in a seesawing legal for those legally-ordered
battle over the anti-hunger SNAP payments.
program used by 42 million
Americans. Four different directives in
The demand from the U.S. six days
Department of Agriculture Wisconsin, for example,
came as more than two loaded benefits onto cards
dozen states warned of for 700,000 residents once
"catastrophic operational a judge in Rhode Island
disruptions" if the Trump ad- ordered the restoration of
ministration does not reim- benefits last week, but after
burse them for those SNAP the U.S. Treasury froze its re-
benefits they authorized imbursements to the state,
before the Supreme Court's it anticipates running out of
stay. money by Monday, Demo-
Nonprofits and Democratic SNAP EBT information sign is displayed at a gas station in Riverwoods, Ill., Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. cratic Gov. Tony Evers' ad-
Associated Press
attorneys general sued to ministration warned in a
force the Trump adminis- vember 2025, this was un- states, like hers, that used court." lengthy statement on Sun-
tration to maintain the pro- authorized," Patrick Penn, their own money to prop "Massachusetts residents day.
gram in November despite deputy undersecretary of up the program. with funds on their cards The lack of money could
the ongoing government Agriculture, wrote to state "It's one thing if the fed- should continue to spend leave vendors unpaid and
shutdown. They won the SNAP directors. "Accord- eral government is going it on food," she said in a trigger escalating legal
favorable rulings last week, ingly, States must immedi- to continue its level of ap- statement Sunday. "Presi- claims, the states warned.
leading to the swift release ately undo any steps taken peal through the courts to dent Trump should be fo- "States could face de-
of benefits to millions in sev- to issue full SNAP benefits say, no, this can't be done," cusing on reopening the mands to return hundreds
eral states, and the Trump for November 2025." Murkowski said. "But when government that he con- of millions of dollars in the
administration belatedly Penn warned that states you are telling the states trols instead of repeatedly aggregate," the states' fil-
said the program could could face penalties if they that have said this is a sig- fighting to take away food ing at the 1st Circuit Court
continue. did not comply. It was un- nificant enough issue in our from American families." of Appeals says.
On Friday night, however, clear if the directive ap- state, we're going to find Democrats have ham- "Pursuant to and consistent
Justice Ketanji Brown Jack- plies to states that used resources, backfill or front mered Trump for targeting with an active court order,
son temporarily paused their own funds to keep the load, whatever term you the anti-hunger program Wisconsin legally loaded
the two rulings ordering the program alive or to ones want, to help our people, during the government benefits to cards, ensur-
SNAP disbursement while relying on federal money those states should not be shutdown, contending ing nearly 700,000 Wiscon-
the nation's highest court entirely. The Department of penalized." the administration could sinites, including nearly
considered the Trump ad- Agriculture did not immedi- have maintained it even 270,000 kids, had access to
ministration's appeal. That ately respond to a request 'We will see him in court' with other parts of the gov- basic food and groceries,"
led the Department of for comment. Democratic Gov. Maura ernment idle. As senators Evers said. "After we did
Agriculture on Saturday to In a filing in federal court on Healey of Massachusetts worked through the week- so, the Trump Administra-
write state SNAP directors Sunday, the agency said said SNAP benefits were end on a deal to end the tion assured Wisconsin and
to warn them it now con- states moved too quickly processed and placed on stalemate, their bipartisan other states that they were
siders payments under the and erroneously released EBT cards before the U.S. package of agreed-upon actively working to imple-
prior orders "unauthorized." full money SNAP Benefits Supreme Court order Friday measures to keep open ment full SNAP benefits
after last week's rulings. night, in line with the previ- some aspects of govern- for November and would
States could face penalties U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of ous guidance from the ment included full funding 'complete the processes
for paying benefits Alaska, a Republican, on USDA. She said that if Trump of SNAP programs and a necessary to make funds
"To the extent States sent full Sunday called the directive attempts to claw back the provision that would ensure available.' They have failed
SNAP payment files for No- "shocking" if it applies to money, "we will see him in reimbursements for expen- to do so to date."q