President Donald Trump said his administration does not have the legal authority to fund food assistance during the ongoing government shutdown — a claim critics dismissed as political theater.
With federal food aid set to expire Saturday, Trump took to his Truth Social platform Friday night to blame Democrats for the disruption and even shared Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office phone number.
In his post, Trump said government attorneys concluded that the administration cannot legally use existing funds to issue Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits while the shutdown continues.
“I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT,” Trump wrote, a reference to Senate Democrats led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer who have voted against a clean funding bill to reopen the government 14 times.
Republicans control the House and Senate but in the upper chamber, 60 votes are needed to overcome the filibuster and so far, only a few Democrats have defied Schumer to vote with all 53 Republicans.
Trump stated that delays in funding were caused by the timing of the shutdown and the procedures that states must follow to distribute benefits. He added that if the administration receives legal clearance, “it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, just like I did with Military and Law Enforcement Pay.”
The president went on to urge Americans to call “Cryin’ Chuck Schumer” at his office and press him to tell his Democratic caucus to vote for the funding bill.
Late Friday, two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to continue funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) using contingency funds. The rulings came just a day before the U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to freeze benefits, citing an inability to fund the program amid the ongoing government shutdown.
It remains uncertain how soon the benefit cards will be reloaded, as the process typically takes one to two weeks. Trump indicated on Truth Social that his administration would comply with the court orders but noted that further clarification was needed.
“Even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed while States get the money out,” Trump said.
Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin believes the federal government shutdown could end this week as Democrats look for an “exit ramp.”
During an interview on Fox News, Mullin told host Kellyanne Conway that he believes the government shutdown will likely end after Tuesday’s elections, estimating it to reopen either Wednesday or Thursday.
“Where they went through the rally they realize that their base was only more dog in so now. What the Democrats are literally tell us telling us this. They plan on shut, open it back out, probably Wednesday or Thursday after the after the the election after they elect a communist in New York to be the mayor after the New Jersey’s governor toro race, Virginia governor’s race they’re, going to come out, they’re going to look for an exit ramp because they know their lose and shoot,” Mullin predicted.
“Even CNN’s polls are showing that the that this isn’t good for them. They, they American people, have already been exposed to. You know Congress, one Clark or congresswoman Clark by saying that this is a leverage point for them. He had yeah Chuck Schumer saver days, getting better for them,” Mullin said.
“Head, centered or coons from Delaware goes out and says it’s uncomfortable. But it’s leverage point in even Bernie Sanders goes out and says they can’t open it back up because they lose leverage, but they also know that need to exit ramps,” he continued.
Mullin added, “So after the election, Kelly and they’re going to come out in at that point, you’re going to go out there and well that they’re gonna take the high road, they’re going to try spinning and on President Trump and the Republicans … They’re gonna, eventually open it up, probably Thursday, I’d say midday.”
