California Sues Trump Administration Over SNAP Benefits Suspension
California, along with 20 other states, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which supports 5.5 million Californians in accessing food. The lawsuit, initiated in Massachusetts, challenges the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) assertion that the program lacks sufficient funding due to a monthlong government shutdown.
The complaint contends that this suspension represents a first in the history of SNAP, claiming that the federal government is legally obligated to ensure payments through September 2026. It also highlights the existence of $6 billion in contingency funds allocated by Congress for unplanned scenarios such as government shutdowns.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated, “USDA not only has authority to use contingency funds, it has a legal duty to spend all available dollars to fund SNAP benefits. The Trump Administration, however, has chosen instead to play politics with this essential safety net that so many people depend on.”
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has publicly stated that the USDA lacks the necessary funding to continue SNAP. However, the lawsuit contends that the USDA is selectively choosing which programs to keep operational during the shutdown, while also providing financial aid to farmers and support for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the administration’s actions, saying, “While Donald Trump parades around the world trying to repair the economic damage he’s done with his incompetence, he’s denying food to millions of Americans who will go hungry next month. It’s cruel and speaks to his basic lack of humanity.”