Governors Urge Trump to Prevent SNAP Funding Suspension Amid Shutdown

Governors Urge Action to Sustain SNAP Amidst Government Shutdown

Amid ongoing federal government shutdown tensions, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, alongside 20 other state leaders, is calling on President Donald Trump to ensure the continuation of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is on the brink of losing funding.

SNAP, a crucial initiative aiding 42 million Americans, including 16 million children, faces a potential suspension of funds starting November 1. This situation arises as a direct consequence of the monthlong shutdown, raising concerns over food security for millions.

In a letter addressed to President Trump, Governor Whitmer and her counterparts highlighted the program’s vital role in combating poverty and supporting health:

“SNAP lifts families out of poverty by allowing them to spend money that would otherwise have been used for food on rent, heat, or health care. We know that infants and children in families who receive SNAP are more likely to see a doctor for periodic check-ups. Additionally, older adults receiving SNAP are more likely to take their prescribed medications because they have enough money to afford both food and medicine. No one should have to make those impossible choices.”

Signatories of the letter include California’s Gavin Newsom, Minnesota’s Tim Walz, New York’s Kathy Hochul, and Arizona’s Katie Hobbs, among others.

Efforts to secure SNAP’s future extend beyond the governors’ plea. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined nearly two dozen attorneys general in a lawsuit aiming to prevent the Trump administration from halting the program.

“Emergency funding exists for exactly this kind of crisis,” Nessel remarked. “This is a choice the Trump administration is making, but I will continue doing everything in my power to ensure the federal government does not turn its back on the people it is meant to serve.”

Simultaneously, a group of nearly twelve Republican Senators has proposed the Keep SNAP Funded Act of 2025, legislation aimed at maintaining the program’s operations until the shutdown concludes.