President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the administration won’t pay food stamp benefits until after the partial government shutdown ends, in potential defiance of a federal court order and in conflict with what his administration told a judge Monday, but he was contradicted several hours later by his spokesperson.
Trump’s post on the social media site Truth Social came even as the Agriculture Department was giving state agencies directions on how to distribute partial Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for November. A USDA memo said the agencies must notify households about a reduction in the monthly benefit.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said later the administration has released funds in compliance with a federal court order. She warned recipients that it would “take some time to receive this money.”
