A federal judge in Rhode Island followed up Friday’s oral ruling with a written order Saturday requiring President Donald Trump’s Agriculture Department to make full food-stamp payments no later than end of day Monday, or alternatively, partial payments by the end of the day Wednesday.
Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island was responding to the administration’s request for a written order, as well as Trump’s Friday night social media post asking the court for clarity as to how USDA could legally make the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments.
“I do not want Americans to go hungry,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after McConnell’s earlier ruling from the bench on Friday afternoon. “[I] ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible. . . . If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding.”
