Bessent Says SNAP Relief 'Could Be' Coming Soon As Democrats Continue to Put Politics Over People

Sunday marks day 32 of the Schumer Shutdown and day 2 of no funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a program on which millions of Americans rely to put food on the table. As RedState previously reported, two federal judges, in two separate cases, on Friday "ordered the Trump administration to use contingency funds to issue SNAP benefits as the benefits are set to run out on Saturday, given the lapse in appropriations."

In the wake of those two orders, President Trump took to social media to explain that there may be a legal issue that prevents his administration from funding SNAP.

“Our Government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available, and now two Courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do,” Trump posted on Truth Social Friday evening.
“I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT,” he continued.

On Saturday, one of two Federal judges, Rhode Island District Court Judge John McConnell, gave the Trump administration two options: full payments by Monday or partial payments by Wednesday.

Trump Announces Next Steps As Judge Orders USDA Funding, SNAP Deadline Looms on Saturday, Nov. 1

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared Sunday morning on CNN's State of the Union and told host Jake Tapper that SNAP benefits "could be" funded by Wednesday. Bessent also stated the obvious: Senate Democrats could stop the madness right now by voting to fund the government and end the shutdown.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on if the Trump Administration will use emergency funds to cover SNAP benefits.

BESSENT: "There's a process that has to be followed. So, we got to figure out what the process is. President Trump wants to make sure that people get their food… pic.twitter.com/MpyTqQBktq
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) November 2, 2025

TAPPER: Is the administration going to appeal by the judge [McConnell]? Because the court's have weighed in.
BESSENT: No, but there's a process that has to be followed. So, we got to figure out what the process is. President Trump wants to make sure that people get their food benefits.
TAPPER: So it could be done by Wednesday?
BESSENT: Could be. And five Democratic senators could cross the aisle and open the government by Wednesday.

As a reminder, Senate Republicans have voted 14 times to fund SNAP, while Senate Democrats have declined to do so 14 times.

Feel-Good Friday: Americans Step in and Step Up to Give Neighbors Hope During Government Shutdown

There's one party to blame for this mess, something White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized during her Sunday morning appearance on Fox Business's Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromoo. Said Leavitt:

"Radical left Democrats who have shut our government down and held the American people hostage for 32 days in a row. We have air traffic controller shortages all over this country. Half of our nation's major airports are suffering from severe delays as we head into the busiest travel months of the season. We have half a million federal workers who are going unpaid. SNAP benefits have expired. Only because of President Trump finding a legal maneuver are our troops continuing to be getting paid."

Some Republicans are speculating that all this legal wrangling over SNAP could be for naught because Democrats will end the shutdown as soon as Tuesday's elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City are over. “If they do it before Tuesday, then their base may not show up because it looks like they caved," said Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK).

Mullins concluded, "That’s why they’re setting everything up to open next week. We’ll be open next Wednesday, or Wednesday night, or Thursday."

Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.

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