Trump Admin Tells SNAP Recipients They Won’t Get Food Stamps in November Because Democrats Insist on Funding ‘Gender Mutilation’

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on its website that federal food assistance payments will not be issued on Nov. 1 due to the ongoing government shutdown, blaming Democrats for what it called political gridlock.

“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” the notice reads. “At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01.”

The suspension affects the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides grocery funds for around 42 million low-income Americans — roughly one in eight people in the country. Without those payments, some of the nation’s poorest households may be unable to afford food.

The shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, is now the second-longest in U.S. history. The main dispute centers on the Affordable Care Act: Democrats want to extend ACA tax credits to prevent premium hikes, while Republicans argue negotiations can resume only after the government reopens.

“We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats,” the USDA notice continues. “They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.”

Some Democrats, including Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, have criticized the USDA’s website messaging, suggesting it may violate the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from political activity in their official roles.

On Friday, Democratic lawmakers wrote to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins urging the department to use roughly $5 billion in contingency funds to sustain next month’s SNAP payments. But according to a Department of Agriculture memo obtained by The Associated Press, the administration rejected that request, arguing the contingency funds “are not legally available to cover regular benefits” and are reserved for emergencies such as natural disasters.

Some states with Democratic leadership have issued their own public statements linking the halted benefits to Washington’s budget impasse. A notice posted Oct. 17 on the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services website reads: “Because Republicans in Washington, D.C., failed to pass a federal budget, causing the federal government shutdown, November 2025 SNAP benefits cannot be paid.”