A Rhode Island federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to immediately restore full food aid for over 42 million Americans, blasting it for attempting to slash Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits amid an ongoing government shutdown.
Judge John McConnell, presiding from Providence, said the administration’s plan to issue reduced benefits was “politically motivated” and warned that “people will go hungry, food pantries will be overburdened, and needless suffering will occur” if aid isn’t fully restored. The ruling directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure recipients receive 100% of their November benefits by Friday.
The Trump administration swiftly appealed, throwing uncertainty over whether the funds will reach families in time. USDA officials, in turn, shifted blame to Senate Democrats, arguing their refusal to support a Republican-backed stopgap measure had prolonged the shutdown now entering its 37th day.
Vice President J.D. Vance dismissed the ruling as “absurd,” claiming it forced the administration to act while Congress remained deadlocked. “We’d like Democrats to open the government—then we can fund SNAP,” he said at the White House.
SNAP, better known as food stamps, supports Americans earning less than 130% of the federal poverty line. The average monthly benefit ranges from $298 for an individual to $546 for a household of two.
Initially, the administration planned to suspend the program entirely in November, citing a lack of Congressional authorization. McConnell and another federal judge in Boston had earlier ruled that at least $5.25 billion in emergency reserves must be used to cover a portion of the month’s $8.5–$9 billion cost. But the USDA opted to use only that contingency funding—reducing monthly aid by as much as 35%.
Judge McConnell rejected that move, calling it both inadequate and logistically unworkable. Several states, he noted, had warned that antiquated computer systems would take weeks to reprogram for reduced benefits. Minnesota estimated six weeks; Pennsylvania, nearly two.
Citing these obstacles, McConnell ordered the USDA to instead draw from a $23.35 billion fund—money collected through tariffs and previously used for child nutrition programs—to pay benefits in full.
The judge also pointed to public remarks by President Trump suggesting SNAP payments would resume only when the shutdown ended. “That statement reflects a clear intent to defy the court’s order,” McConnell said. “Last weekend, SNAP benefits lapsed for the first time in our nation’s history. This is a problem that could—and should—have been avoided.”
The ruling sets the stage for another high-stakes standoff between the White House and the judiciary—one with real consequences for millions of American families depending on their next meal.
