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President Donald Trump said Friday his administration has asked federal courts to clarify whether it can legally release Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments as the government shutdown continues.
In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump said government lawyers had raised doubts about whether existing funds could be used for the November distribution and that two courts have issued conflicting opinions on the matter.
“Our Government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available, and now two Courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do,” Trump wrote. “I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT.”
The president said he had instructed administration attorneys to ask the courts for clarification “as soon as possible.”
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“If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, just like I did with Military and Law Enforcement Pay,” Trump added. “The Democrats should quit this charade where they hurt people for their own political reasons, and immediately REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT.”
Trump urged food stamp recipients to contact Senate Democrats, writing, “If you use SNAP benefits, call the Senate Democrats, and tell them to reopen the Government, NOW! Here is Cryin’ Chuck Schumer’s Office Number.”
SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, provides aid to about 42 million Americans each month, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Funding for the program depends on congressional appropriations, which have lapsed during the current shutdown.
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The president made his comments one day before the scheduled Nov. 1 payment date for many recipients. The USDA has not publicly confirmed whether benefits will be issued if the courts do not provide new guidance.
Trump has repeatedly accused Democrats of prolonging the shutdown to gain political leverage, while Democrats say the White House could reopen the government by signing a short-term spending bill already passed in the Senate.
In his post, Trump referenced his earlier actions to protect military and law enforcement paychecks during the standoff, calling it his duty to “ensure Americans don’t go hungry.”
No court filings related to SNAP funding had been publicly docketed as of Friday afternoon.
The White House referred Fox News Digital to President Trump’s Truth Social post when pressed for comment.
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