Today, Donald Trump took to Truth Social to announce that he won’t release emergency funds for SNAP benefits until his government shutdown ends — even though, just yesterday, his Agriculture Department said it would cover only 50% of “current allotments” for SNAP to comply with a court order. This afternoon, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt walked back Trump’s post, claiming the administration would comply with the court order but that it would take “some time.” 

In response, DNC Rapid Response Director Kendall Witmer released the following statement: 

“Donald Trump is telling millions of Americans that he could stop them from going hungry, but he doesn’t feel like it. He’s even willing to violate a court order to stop 16 million children around the country from being fed. It’s right there in his own words, no matter how much his staff tries to clean up after him. Let’s be clear: Republicans control the White House, the House and the Senate. The American people know that this is Trump’s shutdown, and they will know exactly who is to blame for this cruel and preventable hunger crisis across the country.” 

Trump’s reversal today comes after his own administration said he would comply with a court order and cover 50% of SNAP benefits after two lawsuits were successfully brought against the administration, including one by Democratic attorneys general, for withholding SNAP funds. Today’s events come after Trump’s billionaire-first budget bill already made the largest cut to food assistance in history.