Catherine Rampell
@crampell.bsky.social
MSNBC anchor, co-hosting The Weekend: Primetime. Economics editor at The Bulwark, where I write the “Receipts” newsletter.
Econ, politics, immigration, tax, etc. + occasional theater nerdery.
Econ, politics, immigration, tax, etc. + occasional theater nerdery.
Jesus the administration is STILL fighting to keep 40 million people hungry www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to intervene in SNAP fight again
The battle over funding for the nation’s largest anti-hunger program has left millions wondering how they will afford food.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Jesus the administration is STILL fighting to keep 40 million people hungry www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Catherine Rampell
USDA demanded that states try to undo the process, but it is too late in many states. USDA's regulations (and due process!) forbid summarily removing benefits from households' cards once they have been loaded. Households should spend those benefits as usual. /5
November 9, 2025 at 5:26 PM
USDA demanded that states try to undo the process, but it is too late in many states. USDA's regulations (and due process!) forbid summarily removing benefits from households' cards once they have been loaded. Households should spend those benefits as usual. /5
Yup and not only this co-op (whose GM John Leary kindly appeared on my @theweekendprime.bsky.social show last night). Every SNAP-participating retailer in America got the same threatening letter. bsky.app/profile/cram...
The USDA sent an email to grocery stores telling them they are prohibited from offering special discounts to customers affected by the SNAP funding lapse.
I'm aware of at least 2 stores that had offered struggling customers a discount, then withdrew it after receiving this email
I'm aware of at least 2 stores that had offered struggling customers a discount, then withdrew it after receiving this email
November 9, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Yup and not only this co-op (whose GM John Leary kindly appeared on my @theweekendprime.bsky.social show last night). Every SNAP-participating retailer in America got the same threatening letter. bsky.app/profile/cram...
I asked Georgetown law prof David Super wtf is going on with this latest demand for states to claw back benefits already sent out.
He says the law doesn't allow for this, and if the USDA is mad that states already sent out SNAP money, too bad—they were following USDA's own guidance. Full comments:
He says the law doesn't allow for this, and if the USDA is mad that states already sent out SNAP money, too bad—they were following USDA's own guidance. Full comments:
November 9, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I asked Georgetown law prof David Super wtf is going on with this latest demand for states to claw back benefits already sent out.
He says the law doesn't allow for this, and if the USDA is mad that states already sent out SNAP money, too bad—they were following USDA's own guidance. Full comments:
He says the law doesn't allow for this, and if the USDA is mad that states already sent out SNAP money, too bad—they were following USDA's own guidance. Full comments:
Astonishing how hard this administration is working to keep people hungry.
It's clear they are trying maximize public suffering, in hopes of getting people to blame Dems for that suffering. But it's transparently the White House working overtime to keep the suffering going!
bsky.app/profile/cram...
It's clear they are trying maximize public suffering, in hopes of getting people to blame Dems for that suffering. But it's transparently the White House working overtime to keep the suffering going!
bsky.app/profile/cram...
Yikes. USDA sent threatening letter to states telling them that if they sent out EBT money —which many states did during the window when a lower court said SNAP funds had to be released—they have to take it back (?)
Trying to sort out what this means and if states even can claw back the funds
Trying to sort out what this means and if states even can claw back the funds
November 9, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Astonishing how hard this administration is working to keep people hungry.
It's clear they are trying maximize public suffering, in hopes of getting people to blame Dems for that suffering. But it's transparently the White House working overtime to keep the suffering going!
bsky.app/profile/cram...
It's clear they are trying maximize public suffering, in hopes of getting people to blame Dems for that suffering. But it's transparently the White House working overtime to keep the suffering going!
bsky.app/profile/cram...
Yikes. USDA sent threatening letter to states telling them that if they sent out EBT money —which many states did during the window when a lower court said SNAP funds had to be released—they have to take it back (?)
Trying to sort out what this means and if states even can claw back the funds
Trying to sort out what this means and if states even can claw back the funds
November 9, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Yikes. USDA sent threatening letter to states telling them that if they sent out EBT money —which many states did during the window when a lower court said SNAP funds had to be released—they have to take it back (?)
Trying to sort out what this means and if states even can claw back the funds
Trying to sort out what this means and if states even can claw back the funds
Some other states that appear to have gotten benefits out (thanks to those sending me links): North Carolina, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Dakota, Kansas.
So, not exclusively Dem-helmed/blue states.
So, not exclusively Dem-helmed/blue states.
November 8, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Some other states that appear to have gotten benefits out (thanks to those sending me links): North Carolina, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Dakota, Kansas.
So, not exclusively Dem-helmed/blue states.
So, not exclusively Dem-helmed/blue states.
Per Georgetown Law prof David Super, theoretically other states *could* still charge ahead and issue SNAP benefits anyway while this is being sorted...but as noted in post above, there's some ambiguity about who then owes this money if consumers spend it and the feds never pay it out.
November 8, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Per Georgetown Law prof David Super, theoretically other states *could* still charge ahead and issue SNAP benefits anyway while this is being sorted...but as noted in post above, there's some ambiguity about who then owes this money if consumers spend it and the feds never pay it out.
SCOTUS "pause" on order to give out SNAP was issued by Ketanji Brown Jackson.
It continues for 48 hours after lower court gets new ruling in.
After that, Trump admin can ask for another "pause" extension. SCOTUS could either give it to them or say nah, we agree with lower court; release the money
It continues for 48 hours after lower court gets new ruling in.
After that, Trump admin can ask for another "pause" extension. SCOTUS could either give it to them or say nah, we agree with lower court; release the money
November 8, 2025 at 7:35 PM
SCOTUS "pause" on order to give out SNAP was issued by Ketanji Brown Jackson.
It continues for 48 hours after lower court gets new ruling in.
After that, Trump admin can ask for another "pause" extension. SCOTUS could either give it to them or say nah, we agree with lower court; release the money
It continues for 48 hours after lower court gets new ruling in.
After that, Trump admin can ask for another "pause" extension. SCOTUS could either give it to them or say nah, we agree with lower court; release the money
Last night SCOTUS told lower court to give a more detailed ruling with legal reasoning ASAP, so Supremes can review it. That's expected to come in as soon as a few hours, saying once again: yes, USDA has to pay the money out to everyone. Now.
November 8, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Last night SCOTUS told lower court to give a more detailed ruling with legal reasoning ASAP, so Supremes can review it. That's expected to come in as soon as a few hours, saying once again: yes, USDA has to pay the money out to everyone. Now.
After states had already sent out benefits, SCOTUS last night temporarily paused lower court order that required Trump admin to cover full food stamp benefits.
The way SNAP system works, money's already on people's EBT cards. It can be spent. So...unclear who's left holding bag if feds don't pay
The way SNAP system works, money's already on people's EBT cards. It can be spent. So...unclear who's left holding bag if feds don't pay
November 8, 2025 at 7:35 PM
After states had already sent out benefits, SCOTUS last night temporarily paused lower court order that required Trump admin to cover full food stamp benefits.
The way SNAP system works, money's already on people's EBT cards. It can be spent. So...unclear who's left holding bag if feds don't pay
The way SNAP system works, money's already on people's EBT cards. It can be spent. So...unclear who's left holding bag if feds don't pay
That means SNAP beneficiaries in these blue states now have money to buy groceries.
I'm not aware of any red states that got SNAP money out during the brief window where court had greenlit sending funds. (Tell me if I've missed any though.)
I'm not aware of any red states that got SNAP money out during the brief window where court had greenlit sending funds. (Tell me if I've missed any though.)
November 8, 2025 at 7:35 PM
That means SNAP beneficiaries in these blue states now have money to buy groceries.
I'm not aware of any red states that got SNAP money out during the brief window where court had greenlit sending funds. (Tell me if I've missed any though.)
I'm not aware of any red states that got SNAP money out during the brief window where court had greenlit sending funds. (Tell me if I've missed any though.)