Jeffries says Democrats won’t end shutdown despite SNAP benefits crisis

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (DY) signaled that the funding gap affecting benefits for nearly 42 million Americans may not be enough to convince Democrats to shut down the government.

The House’s top Democrat spoke to reporters on Day 34 of the financial crisis that paralyzed Congress and led to the closure of scores of federal offices and programs.

He criticized the Trump administration for allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to expire on November 1, but said “No” when asked if Democrats voting for the GOP federal funding bill would be the most prudent way to fix this.

“The easiest way to fund SNAP is for the administration to do the same thing it has done in many other cases, including finding $40 billion to bail out its fellow right-wing dictator wannabes in Argentina,” Jeffries said. “They came up with $40 billion, and now they want to claim they couldn’t find a dime to keep millions of Americans from going hungry.”

ADVANTAGES OF FOOD COTTON FOR 42 MILLION AMERICANS AT RISK TODAY AFTER THE CLOSURES

He accused President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans of making a “deliberate, poor choice” after he said the administration could not redistribute funds to the program without risking the benefits of other vulnerable Americans, including children.

“Not a single American should go hungry. Not a single American. And what’s happening in this country right now is the Republicans’ fault,” Jeffries said.

This comes on the heels of the Trump administration announcing it would use nearly the entire amount in the SNAP emergency fund to give 50% of November benefits to food stamp recipients following a judge’s ruling on Friday.”

SCHUMER, DEMS CALL TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ‘BULL —-‘ AFTER THREAT TO CLOSE DOWN FOOD COTTON

An EBT sign is seen in a grocery store window in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, October 30, 2025. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

The administration has previously argued that emergency funding can only be used to replenish SNAP dollars after they are appropriated by Congress, which did not happen because of the shutdown. The White House has maintained that the funding is intended for emergencies such as natural disasters rather than a political stalemate in Washington.

While the emergency fund is thought to contain just over $5 billion, covering all SNAP needs in a month would normally cost the federal government about $9 billion.

The administration also warned in a court filing Monday that distribution of these partial funds could take weeks due to administrative delays.

DEMS RAISES FUNDS FOR GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AS HAKEEM JEFFRIES CALLS SUPPORTERS TO ‘KEEP THE FAITH’

But Jeffries’ comments on Monday suggest the chaos that could delay food aid for millions of Americans and leave them with inadequate funds for the Thanksgiving holiday isn’t enough for Democrats to back down.

USDA data show that more than 41 million Americans use SNAP, and the states with the highest participation rates are New Mexico, Oregon and Louisiana. (USDA; Fox News)

Republicans are pushing a “clean” short-term funding bill that would give lawmakers until Nov. 21 to agree on federal spending for fiscal year (FY) 2026.

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But Democrats have rejected that legislation more than a dozen times, demanding that concessions on GOP health care cuts be paired with any spending bill. Despite the rising costs of the shutdown, Democrats are still committed to the issue, Jeffries said.

“We will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to deplete the American people’s health care. That has been our position every week. And that will continue to be our position as the Republican health crisis crushes the American people,” he said.