Judge Smacks Down Trump Administration, Orders Emergency Food Aid for Millions of Americans

A federal judge in Rhode Island has ordered the Trump administration to use emergency funds to cover November food aid benefits for millions of Americans, just days before the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was set to run out of money.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. issued the oral order on Friday, siding with a coalition of cities and nonprofit organizations that sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) over its refusal to use emergency funds during the government shutdown. Plaintiffs argued that the administration’s inaction had “needlessly plunged SNAP into crisis.”

The Trump administration has not yet said whether it will appeal the decision.

McConnell’s ruling goes further than that of another federal judge in Massachusetts, Judge Indira Talwani, who issued a separate order on Friday afternoon directing the administration to decide by Monday whether it would voluntarily fund at least part of the November SNAP payments.

“Defendants are required to use those contingency funds as necessary for the SNAP program,” Talwani wrote, noting that the USDA has multiple funding sources available to ensure benefits continue.

The White House and USDA have not yet commented on either ruling.

Administration officials have repeatedly argued that they lack the authority to tap into a $5 billion contingency fund, saying the money would still fall short of the nearly $8 billion needed to fully cover November’s food benefits. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins declined to confirm on Friday whether she would comply with the court orders, telling reporters, “We’re looking at all the options.”

According to multiple sources familiar with the discussions, the final decision rests with the White House, which is weighing its options based on how the courts rule.

Even if the administration agrees to comply, officials warned that SNAP benefits may still lapse temporarily, as it could take several days or even weeks to restart payments to millions of low-income families. The government has not yet established a system to distribute emergency funds since the shutdown began.

President Donald Trump on Friday placed the blame squarely on Democrats, saying the deadlock could be resolved immediately if they agreed to his terms.

“All the Democrats have to do is say, ‘Let’s go,’” Trump told reporters. “When you talk about SNAP, you’re talking about largely Democrats. But I’m president, and I want to help everybody Democrats and Republicans. They’re hurting their own people.”

The rulings mark a significant victory for food security advocates, but the immediate future of SNAP remains uncertain as millions of Americans wait to see whether their November benefits will arrive on time.

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