OAN Staff Blake Wolf
5:47 PM – Thursday, October 23, 2025
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned that funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could run out by November 1st if the ongoing government shutdown continues, potentially affecting millions of Americans who rely on the program.
According to surfacing reports, officials in around 25 U.S. states have notified residents that SNAP benefits may be delayed or temporarily halted starting next month if federal funding is not restored.
“We just don’t do it without the government being open,” stated Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, referencing the distribution of SNAP benefits during the government shutdown. “By November 1st, we are very hopeful this government reopens and we can begin moving that money out. But right now, half the states are shut down on SNAP.”
SNAP provides food assistance to more than 42 million low-income Americans, with recipients receiving an average of about $187.20 per person each month to help pay for groceries.
States that have issued warnings include California, Arkansas, Hawaii, Indiana, Mississippi, and New Jersey, among others.
Meanwhile, Leavitt placed the blame for the loss of SNAP benefits on Democrats, proclaiming that they are “solely responsible for all of this unnecessary pain.” This week, Senate Democrats also moved to kill a GOP-sponsored bill that would have provided pay for active-duty military members and essential federal employees working through the government shutdown.
“Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, which provides food benefits to low-income families, is beginning to lapse this week in some states. If Democrats continue to hold Americans hostage, there will not be enough funds to provide SNAP benefits for more than 40 million Americans on November 1st. That is next week,” Leavitt stated.
“Democrats are solely responsible for all of this unnecessary pain. Why are they doing it? To give taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits to illegal aliens, some of whom are violent criminals,” she added.
Despite the federal government shutdown, some states, including Louisiana, have pledged to prioritize the issue. Governor Jeff Landry (R-La.) declared, “seniors, individuals with disabilities, and children who rely on food stamps do not go hungry in Louisiana,” though he has not yet outlined a specific plan.
Similarly, officials in Alaska, New Mexico, and North Dakota are exploring the use of state funds to cover these benefits — despite challenges posed by SNAP being a federal program.
“Without action from USDA, I think it is highly unlikely that any states would issue November SNAP benefits,” stated Carlyn Vega, a policy analyst at Share Our Strength, an advocacy group. “On top of the technical challenges, states can’t shoulder that cost, especially with the risk it wouldn’t be refunded.”
Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) recently shared a 50-second video on X in which he appeared to admonish his fellow Democrats, urging them to prioritize the needs of the American people over party politics. In the clip, Fetterman emphasizes that the ongoing political standoff in Washington is hurting citizens — calling on congress members to do what’s right, not what’s partisan.
As the Senate’s 12th bid for a continuing resolution faltered on Wednesday, the looming cutoff of SNAP benefits for tens of millions of Americans has prompted several states to steer residents toward local food pantries in preparation for November’s potential shortfall.
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