The Trump administration is urging states to reverse the distribution of full SNAP food benefits following a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that stayed previous court orders. This development is part of an ongoing legal battle over the SNAP program, which assists 42 million Americans.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s demand comes as numerous states express concerns about facing severe operational disruptions if they are not reimbursed for the SNAP benefits they had already allocated before the Supreme Court’s intervention. Non-profits and Democratic attorneys general had filed lawsuits in November to compel the administration to maintain the program.
Despite recent court victories that led to the quick disbursement of benefits to millions of individuals in multiple states, the Trump administration had been reluctant to reimburse states for the initial round of SNAP payments. Wisconsin, for instance, had provided benefits to 700,000 residents, but with the U.S. Treasury withholding reimbursements, the state is anticipating a depletion of funds by Monday, as stated by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ administration.
The potential financial shortfall could result in unpaid vendors and legal disputes, with states possibly being asked to return hundreds of millions of dollars collectively. This situation could lead to significant operational disruptions and harm to residents, according to a filing at the First Circuit Court of Appeals.
In response to the states’ concerns, the Department of Agriculture informed them that any payments made were now deemed “unauthorized.” Patrick Penn, the deputy undersecretary of agriculture, instructed state SNAP directors to reverse the issuance of full SNAP benefits for November 2025.
Governor Evers promptly rejected the Trump administration’s directive, emphasizing that Wisconsin had lawfully provided benefits to hundreds of thousands of residents based on an active court order. The governor criticized the administration for failing to fulfill its promise to ensure full SNAP benefits for November as previously indicated.