Bessent SNAP food benefits could restart by Wednesday
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks as he and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer hold a press conference on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank annual meetings in Washington, DC, USA on October 15, 2025.
Ken Cedeno | Reuters
SNAP food benefits could resume as early as Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday morning.
Two federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ruled Friday that the Trump administration must use emergency funds to pay for SNAP benefits that helped feed 42 million Americans during the government shutdown.
Judge Jack McConnell of Rhode Island also ordered that those payments be made “as soon as practicable” from emergency funds. Boston Judge Indira Talwani gave the administration until Monday to say whether it would allow at least reduced SNAP benefits for November.
The administration was originally planned to cut aid on November 1.
In an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” Bessent said the administration would not appeal the court decision, but added that finding funds to pay SNAP benefits “could be done” by Wednesday.
“There is a process that needs to be followed. So we need to understand what the process is,” the Treasury Secretary said.
On Friday, President Donald Trump said in a speech: Real Social post He said the government is exploring options to restart SNAP.
“I do NOT want Americans to go hungry because Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT,” the president wrote. “Therefore, I have instructed our attorneys to ask the Court to explain as soon as possible how we can legally fund SNAP.”
