President Donald Trump's administration was ordered, in two simultaneous rulings on Friday, to continue to pay for SNAP, the country's biggest food aid program, during the government shutdown. The judges, in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, however, gave the administration leeway on whether to fund the program partially or in full for November.
Members of the California National Guard sort donated food items at Los Angeles Regional Food Bank's South Los Angeles warehouse (Bloomberg)
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Trump's top economic adviser was quick to slam the ‘liberal judge ruling’, explaining the administration's next step to fund SNAP.
“We’re about to use emergency funds from the Department of Agriculture because of a liberal judge ruling that we disagree in the law on, but then we don’t have our emergency funds in case we have a hurricane, or we have an emergency,” Hassett, who serves as director of the National Economic Council, told Fox News.
‘Ensure people are fed’
US District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island ordered the Department of Agriculture to distribute a pool of emergency funding as soon as possible to fund November benefits. He added that the administration must explore other sources to ensure the program is fully funded.
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“It’s clear that when compared to the millions of people that will go without funds for food, versus the agency’s desire not to use contingency funds in case there’s a hurricane need, the balances of those equities clearly goes on the side of ensuring that people are fed,” McConnell said.
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“It’s clear that when compared to the millions of people that will go without funds for food, versus the agency’s desire not to use contingency funds in case there’s a hurricane need, the balances of those equities clearly goes on the side of ensuring that people are fed,” McConnell said.
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Earlier in the day, US District Judge Indira Talwani issued a written ruling that rejected the administration’s stance that it is legally barred from tapping into billions of dollars in alternative funding sources to keep the program running during the budget impasse in Congress.
Both cases involve lawsuits seeking to keep federal dollars flowing to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The agriculture department, which administers the program, had said it would halt benefits starting in November until Congress approves a new spending deal.
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.
Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.
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Home/World News/Us News/Trump official reveals concerning next step after SNAP benefit ruling; ‘this is emergency…’
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