President Donald Trump’s administration is demanding that states “undo” full SNAP benefits paid out under judges’ orders last week, after the U.S. Supreme Court stayed those rulings. This marks the latest swing in a seesawing legal battle over the anti-hunger program, which serves 42 million Americans.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued the demand as more than two dozen states warned of “catastrophic operational disruptions” if the Trump administration does not reimburse them for the SNAP benefits authorized before the Supreme Court’s stay. Nonprofits and Democratic attorneys general had earlier sued to force the USDA to maintain the program in November despite the ongoing government shutdown. Their legal victory last week led to the swift release of benefits to millions in several states, and the Trump administration subsequently agreed to continue the program.
However, on Friday night, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily paused the two rulings that had ordered the SNAP disbursements while the nation’s highest court considers the Trump administration’s appeal. This prompted the USDA on Saturday to issue a warning to state SNAP directors, stating it now considers payments made under the prior orders “unauthorized.” States, according to the department, could face penalties for issuing these benefits.
“To the extent States sent full SNAP payment files for November 2025, this was unauthorized,” Patrick Penn, Deputy Undersecretary of Agriculture, wrote to directors. “Accordingly, States must immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025.” Penn emphasized that states could face penalties if they failed to comply.
It remains unclear whether the directive applies to states that used their own funds to keep the program running or only those relying entirely on federal money. The Department of Agriculture did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a court filing on Sunday, the agency argued that states had moved too quickly and erroneously released full SNAP benefits following the court rulings.
Republican U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska called the directive “shocking” if it penalizes states, like hers, that used their own money to support the program. “It’s one thing if the federal government is going to continue its appeal through the courts to say, no, this can’t be done,” Murkowski said. “But when you are telling the states that have said this is a significant enough issue in our state, we’re going to find resources, backfill or front load, whatever term you want, to help our people, those states should not be penalized.”
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, a Democrat, stated that SNAP benefits were properly processed and placed on EBT cards before Friday night’s Supreme Court order, and in line with previous USDA guidance. She vowed legal action if the Trump administration attempts to claw back the funds. “Massachusetts residents with funds on their cards should continue to spend it on food,” Healey said. “President Trump should be focusing on reopening the government that he controls instead of repeatedly fighting to take away food from American families.”
Democrats have sharply criticized Trump for targeting SNAP during the government shutdown, arguing that the administration could have maintained the program even if other parts of government were closed. As senators worked through the weekend toward a deal to end the stalemate, their bipartisan package included full funding for SNAP and a provision to ensure reimbursement of expenditures made during the shutdown.
More than two dozen states, represented by Democratic attorneys general, warned in a court filing that the Trump administration was refusing to reimburse them for legally ordered SNAP payments, even before the Supreme Court put the rulings on hold.
In Wisconsin, for example, the state loaded benefits onto cards for 700,000 residents following a judge’s order to restore benefits. However, after the U.S. Treasury froze reimbursements to the state, officials warned they could run out of money by Monday. This could leave vendors unpaid and spark escalating legal claims, the states cautioned in their filing with the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals. “States could face demands to return hundreds of millions of dollars in the aggregate,” the filing says. “That would risk catastrophic operational disruptions for the States, with a consequent cascade of harms for their residents.”
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers responded to the Trump administration’s demand: “No,” Evers said. “Pursuant to and consistent with an active court order, Wisconsin legally loaded benefits to cards, ensuring nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites, including nearly 270,000 kids, had access to basic food and groceries.” Evers added that after the state acted, the Trump administration assured Wisconsin and other states it was working to make funds available but had yet to do so.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore, speaking Sunday on CBS, said that “in the past six days, we’ve received four different measures of guidance” from the Trump administration. He expressed frustration over the latest directive, which threatens to punish states for paying full benefits. “There is chaos, and it is an intentional chaos, that we are seeing from this administration,” Moore said.
https://wsvn.com/news/politics/trump-administration-demands-states-undo-full-snap-payouts-as-states-warn-of-catastrophic-impact/