The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP benefits) is a basic social assistance program administered by the federal government of the United States, but carried out at the state and local levels.
Its primary goal is to provide food assistance to low- and no-income households, ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to basic foods.
In 2023, the program served an average of 42.1 million people per month, accounting for approximately 12.6% of the US population. Given its size and scope, any changes in financing or administration have far-reaching social and technical implications.
Did Trump freeze SNAP benefits? Yes and no
President Donald Trump’s administration recently issued a memorandum to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) ordering a freeze on federal loans and grants.
This memo, written by Matthew J. Vaeth, acting director of the OMB, directed federal agencies to identify and review financial assistance programs that were consistent with the president’s policies.
However, the document’s wording caused confusion among the program’s millions of beneficiaries and advocates over whether SNAP funds, also known as “food stamps,” would be subject to the freeze.
In technical terms, the memo stated that the freeze did not apply to assistance provided directly to individuals. This distinction is critical because SNAP benefits fall under this category.
Furthermore, administration officials told Reuters and other news agencies that the measure would have no effect on SNAP or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
This is because these programs are classified as direct assistance rather than grants or loans, which are subject to review under the memorandum.
SNAP and other benefits are active again after court decision
However, the situation became more complicated when a district judge temporarily lifted the freezing order until early February. This court decision increased uncertainty about the status of federal funds, including those intended for social programs.
Although the memo stated that SNAP was not directly at risk, the suspension of the freeze concerned the program’s beneficiaries and administrators, who rely on the continued flow of federal funds to operate.
Legally, the SNAP is a mandatory funding program, which means its funds are guaranteed by law and are not subject to annual congressional appropriations or arbitrary decisions made by the president of the day.
This sets it apart from other discretionary programs that may be impacted by executive orders or presidential decisions. However, confusion arose as a result of the memo’s broad language, which did not explicitly state that programs such as SNAP were excluded from the start.
SNAP benefit payments are about to restart in February
SNAP payments are not made on a single date to all recipients, but rather throughout the month in accordance with a schedule established by each state. Some make payments within a few days, while others, such as Texas or Florida, can take up to 28 days to distribute funds to millions of beneficiaries.
It is time to prepare for the funds’ arrival, following Trump’s judicial setback and the victory for the most vulnerable American households, who rely on this allocation to make ends meet.
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