Donald Trump Hosts Great Gatsby-Themed Halloween Party as 42 Million Americans Brace for SNAP Benefits to Expire

President Donald Trump marked Halloween with a lavish Great Gatsby–themed celebration at his Mar-a-Lago estate, even as millions of Americans were set to lose their federal food assistance due to the ongoing government shutdown.

On Friday, Oct. 31, Trump, 79, hosted the Roaring ’20s event inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 classic. The party, held at his Palm Beach, Florida, property, featured flapper dresses, feathers, and jazz-age glamour. According to reports from White House correspondents Danny Kemp of AFP News Agency and Kellie Meyer of NewsNation, the theme was “The Great Gatsby, the Roaring ’20s, and a little party never killed nobody.”

Footage shared by Meyer on X showed Trump seated beside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, 54, and other guests as they smiled and talked throughout the evening. Later in the night, all press members were reportedly asked to leave the premises.

While Trump’s guests enjoyed the opulent affair, the country braced for the expiration of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits — commonly known as food stamps — for 42 million Americans the next day. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had warned that funding would run out by Saturday, Nov. 1, leaving millions without the aid they depend on for groceries. The president reportedly spent the following day golfing at his Palm Beach club, Meyer noted on X.

Political Backlash

The timing of the party drew sharp criticism from political figures. California Gov. Gavin Newsom reposted a photo from inside the event, writing on X, “Donald Trump hosted a Great Gatsby party while SNAP benefits were about to disappear for 42 million Americans. He does not give a damn about you.” Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy also criticized the move, citing the disconnect between the administration’s luxury and the hardships facing ordinary citizens.

Shutdown Impact

The government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, has become the second-longest in U.S. history. The main dispute centers around the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Democrats are seeking to extend ACA tax credits to prevent health insurance premiums from spiking, while Republicans have refused to agree until after the government reopens.

As a result, hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed or are working without pay. Among them is LaShanda Palmer, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employee at Philadelphia International Airport. Palmer, who supports two of her five children and a 6-year-old grandchild, said she has been struggling to cover her $1,375 rent and other expenses since the shutdown began. Her checking and savings accounts are overdrawn, with mounting overdraft fees.

“It is extremely hard,” said Palmer, a lead transportation security officer. “I have a car note, I have insurance, I have a grandchild that I have guardianship over. I don’t want to get an eviction notice. I’m in a position right now, come Nov. 1, where my rent may not get paid because I don’t have the money to pay it.”

Palmer added that despite continuing to work, she feels punished by circumstances beyond her control. “It’s not that I don’t work for it, because I am working for it,” she said. “I should have it.”