U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins just dropped a bombshell that could shake up the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for millions.

The USDA is pulling federal funding from states that refuse to share SNAP data, aiming to tackle rampant fraud after uncovering shocking abuses in the program, as announced by Rollins during a recent Trump administration cabinet meeting.

Back in February, the USDA made a straightforward request: all states should turn over their SNAP data to help the federal government sniff out fraud and protect taxpayer dollars.

States split on SNAP data sharing

Only 29 states, predominantly conservative-leaning ones, complied with the USDA’s call to action.

Meanwhile, 21 states, including heavyweights like California, New York, and Minnesota—often aligned with progressive policies—flatly refused to hand over their data.

Rollins didn’t mince words on the divide, noting, “Twenty-nine states said yes, not surprisingly, the red states, and that’s where all of that data — that fraud comes from,” (Brooke Rollins). Well, if only half the team shows up to the game, you’re already playing with a handicap—how can we fix a national program with just a partial picture?

Fraud findings raise eyebrows nationwide

The data from those 29 cooperating states revealed jaw-dropping fraud, including 186,000 Social Security numbers of deceased individuals being used to claim benefits.

Even more staggering, half a million people were found receiving SNAP benefits multiple times over, double-dipping on a scale that would make any taxpayer wince.

Then there’s the oddities: EBT cards with balances exceeding $10,000, cards gathering dust for years, and benefits issued to people who simply don’t exist—clearly, oversight has been asleep at the wheel.

USDA draws hard line on funding

Rollins isn’t playing nice with the holdouts, declaring, “As of next week, the agency would stop moving federal funds into those states until they comply” (Brooke Rollins). That’s a bold move—cutting off the cash flow until these states get with the program.

One has to wonder if this tough stance will force compliance or just deepen the political trench between red and blue on welfare reform.

After all, with 42 million Americans relying on SNAP, ensuring the system isn’t gamed should be a bipartisan no-brainer, not a partisan tug-of-war.

Progress and problems in SNAP reform

On a brighter note, since President Donald Trump took office, 800,000 Americans have transitioned off SNAP, a sign that dependency might be shrinking for some.

Yet, with fraud stats this glaring from just 29 states, the question looms—what kind of mess awaits when—or if—the other 21 states finally open their books?

Rollins’ push for transparency is a wake-up call; taxpayers deserve to know their hard-earned dollars aren’t padding phantom accounts, while those truly in need shouldn’t face delays or cuts due to bureaucratic stonewalling.