President Donald Trump said on Tuesday SNAP benefits will not go out to the nearly 42 million Americans who rely on the nutrition program until Democrats vote to open the federal government — despite an order from a federal judge that the administration must fund the program during the shutdown.
“SNAP BENEFITS, which increased by Billions and Billions of Dollars (MANY FOLD!) during Crooked Joe Biden’s disastrous term in office (Due to the fact that they were haphazardly “handed” to anyone for the asking, as opposed to just those in need, which is the purpose of SNAP!), will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!,” Trump wrote in a Tuesday Truth Social post.
Senate Democrats quickly raised the alarm about the president’s statement, saying he can not defy a court order.
“I think that will be short lived and if he continues to ignore the courts then we’re in a full blown five alarm constitutional crisis,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) told reporters in the Senate basement. “The President doesn’t get to pick and choose which court orders he complies with. The court said he has to start paying SNAP benefits and he has to start paying SNAP benefits.”
“The President who threw a Gatsby-themed party the night before he cut off SNAP benefits is now vowing to break a court order so that he can force millions of children, seniors, and veterans to go hungry,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) wrote on social media. “It’s sickening. I won’t stand for it.”
Trump’s statement comes after a federal judge ordered the administration over the weekend to keep the program funded during the shutdown, giving the Trump administration two choices: either provide full SNAP benefits to recipients by Monday or partial benefits by Wednesday.
The Department of Agriculture announced the administration picked the latter in a Monday legal filing, saying that officials would use the USDA’s contingency fund to cover 50 percent of the November allotments to current eligible households. USDA added that it might take states “a few weeks to up to several months” to disburse the money.
Trump’s statement is seemingly a reversal of the USDA filing, but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt quickly walked back the president’s words on Tuesday.
“The administration is fully complying with the court order. I just spoke with the president about it,” Leavitt told reporters, claiming that Trump was talking about future situations.
Paging John Roberts (that fucking coward).
Funny, I would have thought we were already in a full-blown five alarm Constitutional Crisis.
What’s with the “Judge fudge”? Either this or that… NOOOO!! Give the order, make sure it’s followed, then issue CONTEMPT if it doesn’t happen! Everybody knows the Trump behavior by now, so stop giving him any choices.
Let’s see how defiant repukians are after today’s voting.
One foul lie after another, including the punctuation.