Treasury Secretary Bessent Says SNAP Relief 'Could Be' Coming Soon As Democrats Continue to Put Politics Over People

Red State ^ | 11/02/2025 | Teri Christoph

[SeekAndFind]

Sunday marks day 32 of the Schumer Shutdown and day 2 of no funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a program on which millions of Americans rely to put food on the table. As RedState previously reported, two federal judges, in two separate cases, on Friday "ordered the Trump administration to use contingency funds to issue SNAP benefits as the benefits are set to run out on Saturday, given the lapse in appropriations."

In the wake of those two orders, President Trump took to social media to explain that there may be a legal issue that prevents his administration from funding SNAP.

“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 posted on Truth Social Friday evening.

“I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT,” he continued.

On Saturday, one of two Federal judges, Rhode Island District Court Judge John McConnell, gave the Trump administration two options: full payments by Monday or partial payments by Wednesday.

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READ MORE: Imperial Judiciary: Judges in 2 Separate Cases Order Trump Admin. to Use SNAP Contingency Funds

Trump Announces Next Steps As Judge Orders USDA Funding, SNAP Deadline Looms on Saturday, Nov. 1

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared Sunday morning on CNN's State of the Union and told host Jake Tapper that SNAP benefits "could be" funded by Wednesday. Bessent also stated the obvious: Senate Democrats could stop the madness right now by voting to fund the government and end the shutdown.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on if the Trump Administration will use emergency funds to cover SNAP benefits.

BESSENT: "There's a process that has to be followed. So, we got to figure out what the process is. President Trump wants to make sure that people get their food… pic.twitter.com/MpyTqQBktq— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) November 2, 2025

TAPPER: Is the administration going to appeal by the judge [McConnell]? Because the court's have weighed in.

BESSENT: No, but there's a process that has to be followed. So, we got to figure out what the process is. President Trump wants to make sure that people get their food benefits.

TAPPER: So it could be done by Wednesday?

BESSENT: Could be. And five Democratic senators could cross the aisle and open the government by Wednesday.

As a reminder, Senate Republicans have voted 14 times to fund SNAP, while Senate Democrats have declined to do so 14 times. 

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RELATED: Watch: Pelosi Triggered by Video of Trump, Wildly Rants About SNAP, Him 'Not Feeding the Children'

Feel-Good Friday: Americans Step in and Step Up to Give Neighbors Hope During Government Shutdown

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There's one party to blame for this mess, something White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized during her Sunday morning appearance on Fox Business's Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromoo. Said Leavitt:

"Radical left Democrats who have shut our government down and held the American people hostage for 32 days in a row. We have air traffic controller shortages all over this country. Half of our nation's major airports are suffering from severe delays as we head into the busiest travel months of the season. We have half a million federal workers who are going unpaid. SNAP benefits have expired. Only because of President Trump finding a legal maneuver are our troops continuing to be getting paid."

Some Republicans are speculating that all this legal wrangling over SNAP could be for naught because Democrats will end the shutdown as soon as Tuesday's elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City are over. “If they do it before Tuesday, then their base may not show up because it looks like they caved," said Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK).

Mullins concluded, "That’s why they’re setting everything up to open next week. We’ll be open next Wednesday, or Wednesday night, or Thursday."

[Texas Eagle]

Scroo SNAP relief! When do taxpayers get some relief,!?

[frank ballenger]

Uh, as soon as the Dems put people over politics is a long, long way off.

National Debt paid. World peace achieved.

Then Dems turn honest and unselfish.

[newzjunkey]

You would think there would be demonstrations against the Democrats for voting NO 14 times on a clean continuing resolution. This is a deliberate attack on our economy and a continued use of judges as a political cudgel for the Left. They continue to set traps, build narratives from whole cloth & create problems out of nothing for POWER, not for the American People.

Democrats deserve to be in political exile for decades for their abuses. They're too radical, obviously despotic & clearly don't GAF about Americans.

[newzjunkey]

LOL that’ll never happen. They’re incapable.

[No name given]

That’s the sad truth.

[VAFreedom]

ah don’t tell me that we’re falling for ‘some rural’ white people are suffering BS.

everyone on snap are leeches. i do not believe a true MAGA would be on SNAP, they can get help from churches.

if we would strip citizenship can we start with snap users?

[blitz128]

No “kings” until they need a king to bail them out

[mund1011]

You would think there would be demonstrations against the Democrats for voting NO 14 times on a clean continuing resolution.

+++++++++++

Local news does not frame the situation as it exists. It is NEVER the donks fault. EVER. It is always framed as the “republican controlled government shutdown”. WGN in Chicago is one of the worst.

[ridesthemiles]

BESSENT NEEDS TO LOOK INTO JUDGE McCONNELL