If you are one of the lucky ones, you will know that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP benefits) offers monthly help for families with economic problems or limited resources, so that they can make ends meet and feed their families with nutritious foods.
Basically, it is a card (called Electronic Benefits Transfer, EBT) that is reloaded each month with a specific amount, and that money can only be used to buy food in authorized stores. It is not for luxuries, but for the basics: fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, and other essential products. Other products such as medicines, animal food, or even cleaning products (among several others).
In 2023, for example, more than 42 million people received these benefits each month. And they are not only adults: almost 40% of the beneficiaries are children.
Are SNAP benefits at risk? This could happen under Trump
Kailee Buller, the new chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) during Trump’s administration, came out this week with news that the Trump administration plans to “fix” what she called “financial mismanagement” of the SNAP program during the Biden era. According to Buller, the previous team put politics above common sense, which she says put the integrity of the program at risk.
SNAP is the largest food assistance program in the US, accounting for nearly 68% of US Department of Agriculture spending on nutrition assistance. Basically, it is monthly help for low-income families, allowing them to buy healthy food.
Buller didn’t go into much detail about how exactly they plan to “fix” things, but he made it clear that the Trump administration is not going to sit idly by. He strongly criticized Tom Vilsack, the former USDA secretary, and Stacy Dean, the former deputy assistant secretary, saying they were the ones who screwed up by prioritizing politics over what the program really needed.
Who are the most affected SNAP beneficiaries?
This is where things get serious. Nearly 40% of those receiving SNAP assistance are children. We are talking about 11.6% under 5 years old and 28% between 5 and 17 years old. If Trump’s proposed changes are implemented, millions of families could be affected, especially in states like Oregon, New Mexico and Louisiana, where use of the program is highest.
In addition, there is another topic that is doing the rounds. The USDA has been working with Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to reduce the number of federal employees. The USDA recently canceled 18 contracts totaling $9 million, according to a tweet from Musk. It is also rumored that they were asked to remove any mention of climate change from their website.
The truth is that there are still many unanswered questions. Buller talked about “correcting mistakes” and making sure they are not repeated, but he did not give many details about how they will do so. What is clear is that any change to SNAP could have a huge impact on families who rely on this program to put food on the table.
