A federal appeals court on Friday denied the Trump administration's request to lift a lower court's order that it fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for the month of November by the end of the day Friday.The Justice Department responded by asking the Supreme Court to intervene by issuing an emergency stay.The unanimous decision, from a panel of three judges on the 1st U.S.Circuit Court of Appeals, came as least nine states had already begun issuing SNAP benefits under the direction of the federal agency that operates SNAP, even as the Trump administration was fighting a judge's ruling ordering those benefits to be paid.Judge orders Trump administration to fully fund SNAP benefits by Friday, rebukes TrumpThe U.S.
Department of Agriculture, which operates SNAP, told states Friday afternoon that it was working toward paying full November SNAP benefits.A letter from the USDA stated that "later today, FNS will complete the processes necessary to make funds available to support your subsequent transmittal of full issuance files to your EBT processor."A group of local governments and nonprofits had urged the Court of Appeals to keep in place an order requiring the Trump administration to fully pay for November SNAP benefits during the ongoing government shutdown. The Trump administration had asked the circuit court to issue an emergency stay of U.S.District Judge John McConnell Jr.'s ruling Thursday ordering the administration to fully fund the SNAP by today, saying they are saving additional funds to pay for child nutrition programs known as WIC.President Donald Trump speaks during an event about drug prices, Nov.
6, 2025, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.Andrew Harnik/Getty ImagesAt issue was whether a federal judge can compel the government to use $4 billion from Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act Amendment of 1935 to fund November SNAP benefits. In his request to the Supreme Court, Solicitor General John Sauer w...