The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is insisting that states “reverse” the full SNAP food benefits that were distributed under court orders over the last week, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to pause those rulings. This marks the latest twist in an ongoing legal struggle concerning the anti-hunger program that serves 42 million Americans.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s request comes as over 25 states have cautioned of “catastrophic operational disruptions” if the Trump administration does not reimburse them for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits they granted prior to the Supreme Court’s intervention.
In November, non-profits and Democratic attorneys general initiated lawsuits to compel the Trump administration to uphold the program.
Recently, they achieved favorable court decisions, resulting in the rapid distribution of benefits to millions of individuals across various states.
However, prior to securing a stay on those rulings through an appeal to the Supreme Court on Friday night, the Trump administration had already shown reluctance to reimburse states for the initial round of SNAP payments.
Cars line up for blocks at a food distribution event for families affected by the lapse of SNAP benefits, in Tulsa, Okla., on Thursday. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World/The Associated Press)
For instance, Wisconsin provided benefits to 700,000 residents, but following the U.S. Treasury’s decision to freeze reimbursements to the state, it now expects to exhaust its funds by Monday, according to a detailed statement from Democratic Governor Tony Evers’ administration on Sunday.
This funding shortfall could result in unpaid vendors and lead to escalating legal claims, the states have warned.
“States could be compelled to repay hundreds of millions of dollars in total,” the legal filing at the First Circuit Court of Appeals states.
People have a meal at a free community breakfast and food drive for those affected by changes to SNAP access, at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. (Rod Lamkey, Jr./The Associated Press)
Such a scenario “would pose a risk of catastrophic operational disruptions for the States, leading to a cascade of adverse effects for their residents,” the legal filing concludes.
This filing coincided with the Department of Agriculture’s announcement on Saturday that it would now classify any payments that were made as “unauthorized.”
“If States submitted full SNAP payment files for November 2025, this was unauthorized,” wrote Patrick Penn, deputy undersecretary of agriculture, in a communication to state SNAP directors.
A message from the National Women’s Law Center that reads, ‘Families are going hungry,’ is projected onto the U.S. Department of Agriculture building in Washington on Monday. (John McDonnell/The Associated Press)
“Therefore, States must immediately reverse any actions taken to distribute full SNAP benefits for November 2025.”
Evers quickly replied to the Trump administration’s request, stating, “No.”
“In accordance with an active court order, Wisconsin lawfully loaded benefits onto cards, ensuring that nearly 700,000 residents, including around 270,000 children, had access to essential food and groceries,” the governor stated.
“After we did this, the Trump administration confirmed to Wisconsin and other states that they were diligently working to implement full SNAP benefits for November and would ‘complete the processes necessary to make funds available.’ They have not fulfilled this promise to date.”
