US President Donald Trump (R) speaks during a meeting with Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the Cabinet Room at the White House in Washington, DC, on Oct. 20, 2025.
Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images
A federal judge in Rhode Island on Friday blocked the Trump administration from ceasing to pay SNAP benefits during the U.S. government shutdown.
The oral ruling by Judge Jack McConnell came a day before the administration was set to cut off those food stamp benefits from 42 million Americans.
A Justice Department lawyer argued during a hearing that the SNAP program did not exist anymore because there were no congressionally appropriated funds for it as a result of the shutdown.
The lawyer, Tyler Becker, also argued it was the administration’s discretion whether to use $6 billion in contingency funds already set aside by Congress to continue issuing SNAP benefits.
This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates.