Washington is at it again, and this time it’s hitting Americans right in the wallet — and the grocery cart. President Donald Trump is demanding that states “undo” SNAP payments already issued for November. And, this leaves millions of families scrambling to figure out how to cover their basic needs. And now, federal guidance orders states to reclaim benefits already sent out, slashing distributions by more than a third.
Trump’s USDA Orders States To “Undo” November SNAP benefits
According to a memo issued Saturday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, states have now been told not to send out full November SNAP benefits amid the government shutdown. Instead, the USDA is capping distributions at just 65% of normal benefits. States that already paid in full are being ordered to pull back those funds. And, it comes with a warning that failing to comply could cost them federal funding or even legal penalties.
“Pending any explicit direction to the contrary from Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), states must not transmit full benefit issuance files to EBT processors,” a statement from USDA deputy under secretary Patrick Penn said. “Instead, states must continue to process and load the partial issuance files that reflect the 35 percent reduction of maximum allotments detailed in the Nov. 5 guidance.”
California SNAP Users Receive Benefits Amid Nationwide Uncertainty
Early Thursday, it looks like 5.5 million Californians on food assistance started receiving their full November SNAP benefits, giving many a much-needed boost amid ongoing confusion over federal guidance. Jeremy Crittenden, a spokesperson for the Contra Costa and Solano County Food Bank, confirmed the California Department of Social Services is dispersing the funds. However, some residents say their EBT cards still haven’t reloaded. Across the country, it’s still unclear how other states are handling payments. And unfortunately, many are wondering what next month will bring.
“Unfortunately, there is just a lot of chaos in our community,” Crittenden stated. “You know, how do you plan for the holidays? How do you know if December benefits are going to come? How do we know if the shutdown is going to continue? So there’s just so many unknowns that unfortunately, our community members are having to deal with, and it just makes it difficult.”
Trump’s USDA Bans Grocery Discounts To SNAP Users
The USDA’s guidance has left many grocery stores navigating a tricky situation during the ongoing government shutdown. While independent grocers want to support customers on SNAP, the agency’s rules make it clear that any special discounts or promotions exclusively for SNAP recipients could violate program regulations unless a waiver is granted. David Cutler, Vice President of the National Grocers Association, said the organization’s 21,000 member stores will treat all customers fairly. He also discussed the balancing act stores face between compliance and supporting communities during this uncertain period.
Court Ruling Leaves Millions Of SNAP Recipients In Limbo
This all stems from a court battle over whether the administration could withhold full benefits during the shutdown. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recently lifted a lower court order that required the USDA to pay families their full allotments. Furthermore, this gave the Trump administration temporary permission to move forward with the cuts. Now, millions of SNAP recipients face uncertainty as they try to stretch their benefits through the rest of the month.
