White House says SNAP will receive partial funding in November after Trump’s defiant post creates confusion — here’s what’s at stake for Americans

Shortly after November 1, the federal court ordered the government to release at least partial funding to SNAP recipients, an order the Trump administration had initially planned to obey. After the court’s ruling, the administration announced it would use a $4.65 billion contingency fund from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to cover approximately half of the SNAP payments for November (1).

But on November 4, Trump seemed to insinuate the 42 million Americans who rely on SNAP benefits won’t get the immediate help that was promised, posting on Trust Social that benefits “will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before,” according to WHAS11 News.

However, the White House clarified Trump’s comments later that day, when press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed the administration is using contingency funding to pay out SNAP benefits.

“The recipients of these SNAP benefits need to understand, it’s going to take some time to receive this money, because the Democrats have forced the administration into a very untenable position,” said Leavitt, according to WHAS11 News. “We are digging into a contingency fund that is supposed to be for emergencies, catastrophes, for war.”

SNAP benefits — or food stamps, as they’re more commonly known — are a key pillar of America’s social safety net. Any disruption to the system could have far-reaching implications, not only for the program’s beneficiaries but also for retailers and consumers nationwide.

Here’s what’s at stake.

42 million Americans directly impacted

SNAP is the largest anti-hunger program in the country, with roughly 12.3% of America’s population relying on at least some food assistance, according to USDA data (2). In 2023, roughly 83% of these benefits went to households with young children, seniors or people with disabilities.

“SNAP benefits are literally the lifeline that feeds us at the end of the month,” Juan Saro, a SNAP recipient, told CNN (3).

After the federal court ordered the Trump administration to use contingency funds to partially sustain the SNAP program throughout November, Trump wrote about the court’s decisions on Truth Social, saying he does “NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT (4).”

“I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible. It is already delayed enough due to the Democrats keeping the Government closed through the monthly payment date and, even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed while States get the money out,” Trump wrote.

Meanwhile, 22 states have enabled emergency funding for either food banks or the program directly to keep the lifeline open for their residents, according to Axios (5). That means at least some American families may be able to avoid the worst-case scenario.

But that still leaves millions of people in other states vulnerable, and experts believe the fallout could flow to retailers and families that do not rely on the program.

The impact on retailers

SNAP benefits are not just a benefit for vulnerable families, but a key source of revenue for retailers across the country.

Walmart alone accounts for 24% of total SNAP spending, according to market research data firm Numerator (6). That means if funding for the program lapses, the retail giant stands to lose an estimated $2 billion.