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No SNAP benefits in November? Trump issues ‘undo’ order amid shutdown; what it means
The U.S. Department of Agriculture demanded that states ‘undo’ full SNAP benefits paid out last week.
SNAP benefits for November are in focus again after the latest directive from the Donald Trump government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has told states to ‘undo’ full SNAP benefits paid last week under judges' orders. This comes after the Supreme Court stayed those rulings, amid an ongoing tussle over the anti-hunger program during the ongoing government shutdown.
“To the extent States sent full SNAP payment files for November 2025, this was unauthorized. Accordingly, States must immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025,” the USDA release read. It added, “Please advise the appropriate FNS Regional Office representative of steps taken to correct any actions taken that do not comply with this memorandum.”
The Supreme Court order has temporarily blocked a lower court order which directed the Trump administration to pay SNAP benefits for November.
What does the new USDA directive mean?
With the new directive, states will not be loading SNAP benefits onto cards. However, even before the stay on the rulings, the Trump administration had not reimbursed the states for the initial round of SNAP payments.
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For example, Wisconsin had loaded benefits onto cards for 700,000 residents, but after the U.S. Treasury froze its reimbursements to the state, the state now anticipates running out of money by Monday. States warned that a lack of federal funds could leave vendors unpaid and trigger escalating legal claims.
Now, the USDA has told any payments made last week will be considered ‘unauthorized’. Wisconsin's Democratic Governor Tony Evers has expressed opposition to this, stating that when the benefits were loaded, they were done so ‘pursuant and consistent’ with an active court order. He alleged that the Trump administration had “assured Wisconsin and other states that they were actively working to implement full SNAP benefits for November and would ‘complete the processes necessary to make funds available'.” However, they did not do so to date, Evers added.
(With AP inputs)
