Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday blasted President Donald Trump over an impending lapse in food assistance, accusing the White House of "using Americans as hostages" by refusing to extend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits on Nov. 1 while the government shutdown grinds on.
Schumer's Post Alleges Manufactured Hunger Crisis
In a post on X, Schumer wrote, "TRUMP IS LYING AND MANUFACTURING A HUNGER CRISIS. No president in history has cut off SNAP during a shutdown, including Trump in his first term. His own Agriculture Department says they can fund SNAP. Trump is using Americans as hostages."
As per an Associated Press account, Schumer's social-media salvo followed floor remarks and an interview in which he denounced Trump for declining to tap a U.S. Department of Agriculture contingency fund. He told the Daily News that Trump is "a vicious, heartless man, an unscrupulous politician who would weaponize hunger."
USDA Funding Dispute And Historical Precedents Cited
The standoff comes as USDA has said it will not use roughly $5 billion in emergency funds to cover November SNAP payments during the shutdown, a move that would trigger the first-ever lapse for the program that serves about 42 million people.
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Administration officials argue the money is restricted to disasters and previously appropriated benefits but Democrats counter that past shutdowns never cut off SNAP.
Schumer also pointed to what he called selective budgeting, noting the administration recently found tens of billions for foreign initiatives, including support for Argentina.
Partisan Standoff And Mounting Deadline Pressure
He said Democrats would back a bill from Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) to keep SNAP funded for the duration of the shutdown, but Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has not allowed a vote. Thune and Republicans say the proper fix is reopening the entire government first.
The White House and its allies place blame on Democrats, saying they've repeatedly blocked broader funding measures. "Democrats chose to shut down the government, knowing full well that SNAP would soon run out of funds. It doesn't have to be this way, and it's sad they are using the families who rely on it as pawns," an Office of Management and Budget spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
GOP leaders have amplified the “#SchumerShutdown” label as the closure approaches the 35-day record from 2019. With Nov. 1 days away, both parties face intensifying pressure from states, grocers and food banks to avert a historic benefits lapse.
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