U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that President Donald Trump’s administration may give the green light to release Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments by next Wednesday, after federal courts ordered officials to use emergency funds to maintain the flow of aid.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Bessent confirmed that the Trump administration will not appeal the court ruling mandating the partial resumption of SNAP benefits by Wednesday. He added that the president wants the courts to clarify the legal mechanism for funding the program during the shutdown and has “no objection” to implementing the decision.
According to Axios, even if the Trump administration complies with the court orders to issue part of the SNAP benefits, millions of families remain uncertain about when they will actually receive their assistance. Any relief is expected to be temporary, given the ongoing government shutdown.
Court Orders and Funding Options
Last Saturday, a federal judge presented the administration with two options: either make full payments by Monday or partial payments by Wednesday.
Bessent said payments could be made by Wednesday, but added that “five Democratic senators may cross the aisle and reopen the government by Wednesday.”
When CNN’s Jake Tapper asked when payments could actually be issued, Bessent pointed to Trump’s post on Truth Social Friday, where the president said he had asked the court to “clarify how we can legally fund the SNAP program as soon as possible.”
Bessent added, “The president is deeply committed to resolving this. But it has to go through the courts — and the courts keep slowing things down.”
Judicial Reactions and Federal Responsibility
Judge John J. McConnell Jr., of the U.S. District Court for Rhode Island, commented on Trump’s post and thanked the president for his “swift and decisive response.”
However, the court granted the administration discretion over whether to use additional funds beyond the emergency reserve to cover the full amount, but it stated clearly that partial payments must not extend beyond Wednesday, November 5.
More than 40 million Americans are at risk of missing their November SNAP payments, after the Department of Agriculture claimed it could not legally use emergency funds to finance the program.
Food bank leaders, already seeing a sharp rise in demand, sounded the alarm, while Democrats accused the administration of weaponizing hunger to pressure Congress during the shutdown.
Multiple Federal Rulings Against the Administration
Judge McConnell’s order was reinforced by Judge Indira Talwani of Massachusetts, who also ruled that the USDA’s claim of being unable to use emergency funds was “incorrect.”
Talwani stated, “This court now confirms that the defendants are required to use these emergency funds as necessary for the SNAP program.”
Even if partial or full payments reach families this month, the funding crisis could persist. The shutdown is now days away from becoming the longest in U.S. history, with ripple effects spreading across the nation’s economy and government workforce.
Although emergency reserves are substantial, they will not cover the full $8 billion required for November’s SNAP costs.
Political Fallout and Congressional Debate
When asked by CNN whether the depletion of emergency funds might pressure Democrats to concede, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D–NY) said:“We want to reopen the government. We want a bipartisan spending deal that makes life better for ordinary Americans.”
He added, “It’s deeply unfortunate that Donald Trump and the Republicans have chosen to weaponize hunger and withhold food assistance from millions of Americans.”