The Trump administration said Monday it would partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) after two judges ruled that the benefits must remain funded amid the government shutdown. The rulings came one day before funding for the program was set to lapse. BREAKING: Trump Administration Must Use Emergency Funds For SNAP Benefits During Government Shutdown, Federal Judge Rules More from the Associated Press: The U.S. Department of Agriculture had planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program starting Nov. 1 because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown. The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nation’s social safety net. It costs about $8 billion per month nationally. It’s not clear how much beneficiaries will receive, nor how quickly beneficiaries will see value show up on the debit cards they use to buy groceries. The process of loading the SNAP cards, which involves steps by state and federal government agencies and vendors, can take up to two weeks in some states. The average monthly benefit is usually about $190 per person. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the nation’s largest food program, said last month that benefits for November wouldn’t be paid out due to the federal government shutdown. That set off a scramble by food banks, state governments and the nearly 42 million Americans who receive the aid to find ways to ensure access to groceries. Breaking: Trump admin announces partial funding for SNAP following court orders https://t.co/6FKx2Nl37O — John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) November 3, 2025 According to USA TODAY, the Trump administration will allocate funding to send partial payments to SNAP recipients that cover "50% of eligible households’ current allotments." BREAKING: The Trump administration says SNAP will be partially funded after judges’ rulings required the food aid program to continue. https://t.co/yR5XoTegtE — The Associated Press (@AP) November 3, 2025 USA TODAY noted: Over two dozen states filed a lawsuit against the USDA in an attempt to force the Trump administration to fund SNAP benefits amid the shutdown. Some states, such as Louisiana, New Mexico, Vermont and Rhode Island, have taken state-funded approaches to partially or fully cover SNAP benefits temporarily. About 12% of Americans will be affected by a halt in food stamp payments. A 2025 USDA survey found that SNAP participants use the program for more than half of their monthly food-at-home spending. The majority of households participating in SNAP include children, the elderly and people with disabilities. In 2023, 83% of SNAP participants fell into one of those three categories.