Two federal judges just ruled that President Donald Trump has to find a way, amid the government shutdown, to fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. 

The Daily Caller reports that both judges were appointed by former President Barack Obama.

Trump, as we will see, has already responded to the situation.

Donald J. Trump Truth Social Post 06:10 PM EST 10/31/25

Our Government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available, and now two Courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do. I do NOT want Americans…

— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) October 31, 2025

The rulings:

One of the rulings came from Massachusetts, and the other one came from Rhode Island.

The Daily Caller reports:

Massachusetts-based U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, appointed by former President Barack Obama, gave the administration until Monday to say whether they will tap into the fund or source funds from elsewhere to keep the program running.

Rhode Island issued a slightly different ruling.

Per the outlet:

Rhode Island-based Chief U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr., also an Obama appointee, ordered the contingency fund be used and requested an update on Monday, according to the Associated Press.

As you can see, these rulings do not exactly line up.

Trump responds

These rulings come as SNAP is set to run out of money on Nov. 1, 2025.

The Daily Caller reports:

The contingency fund has just over $5 billion in congressionally appropriated funds, which Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said at a Friday press conference is not enough to fund the program for even half of November.

President Trump has made it clear that he does "not want Americans to go hungry." He has, according to Breitbart News, instructed government lawyers to ask the courts for guidance on how the government can legally fund SNAP amid the government shutdown.

Trump, on social media, explained:

Our Government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available, and now two Courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do. I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT. Therefore, I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.

The president went on to pin the blame for the situation on the Democrats, who have blocked the reopening of the government more than a dozen times.