"President Donald Trump's administration is demanding states "undo" full SNAP benefits paid out under judges' orders last week, now that the U.S. Supreme Court has stayed those rulings, marking the latest swing in a seesawing legal battle over the anti-hunger program used by 42 million Americans. The demand from the U.S. Department of Agriculture came as more than two dozen states warned of "catastrophic operational disruptions" if the Trump administration does not reimburse them for those SNAP benefits they authorized before the Supreme Court's stay."
"On Friday night, however, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily paused the two rulings ordering the SNAP disbursement while the nation's highest court considered the Trump administration's appeal. That led the Department of Agriculture on Saturday to write state SNAP directors to warn them it now considers payments under the prior orders "unauthorized." States could face penalties for paying benefits "To the extent States sent full SNAP payment files for November 2025, this was unauthorized," Patrick Penn, deputy undersecretary of Agriculture, wrote to state SNAP directors."
The USDA told states to undo full November SNAP payments issued under recent judges' orders after the U.S. Supreme Court stayed those rulings. More than two dozen states warned of catastrophic operational disruptions if they are not reimbursed for benefits authorized before the stay. Nonprofits and Democratic attorneys general won rulings forcing the administration to maintain SNAP during the shutdown, prompting swift benefit releases in several states. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily paused those rulings while the Supreme Court considered the appeal. The USDA labeled the payments unauthorized and warned states they could face penalties for noncompliance.
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