With money for the food stamp program set to run out on Saturday, a pair of federal judges ordered the Trump administration to tap into a special contingency reserve fund to cover part of the shortfall, despite objections from the government that it would be illegal to do so.

President Donald Trump has now turned the tables on those judges and urged them to "clarify" how the government can "legally fund" the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, according to Fox News.

The Department of Agriculture, meanwhile, has squarely placed blame on Senate Democrats and their partial shutdown of the federal government for the fact that SNAP recipients won't receive their usual taxpayer-funded benefits on November 1.

Trump seeks court clarification on how to "legally fund SNAP"

This week, two Democrat-appointed federal judges ruled that the Trump administration must raid a special contingency fund reserved for emergencies by the USDA to instead at least partially fund the monthly benefits for the estimated 42 million SNAP recipients across the country.

The problem there, though, is that the USDA insists that it's prohibited by law from using those emergency contingency funds except to supplement existing underlying appropriations from Congress, of which there currently are none because of the ongoing, month-long government shutdown.

In a Friday evening Truth Social post, President Trump wrote, "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," he continued. "Therefore, I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible."

Senate Democrats must vote to "reopen the government" immediately

In his post, President Trump further noted of the SNAP funding shortfall, "It is already delayed enough due to the Democrats keeping the Government closed through the monthly payment date and, even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed while States get the money out."

"If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, just like I did with Military and Law Enforcement Pay," he said. "The Democrats should quit this charade where they hurt people for their own political reasons, and immediately REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT."

Trump concluded by urging SNAP recipients to contact Senate Democrats and "tell them to reopen the Government, NOW!," and even provided the office phone number for Senate Minority Leader "Cryin'" Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

USDA says Senate Democrats are to blame for lack of SNAP benefits

As for the USDA, it posted a message on its website that made it abundantly clear that it viewed Senate Democrats, and their obstinate refusal to vote for a short-term funding bill, as being wholly responsible for the lack of money for November's SNAP benefits.

"Senate Democrats have now voted 13 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)," the department's message stated. "Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01."

"We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats," the statement added. "They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures, or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance."

It is unclear when, exactly, government lawyers will file their requests for clarification with the judges who ruled that SNAP benefits must be paid out of the USDA's emergency contingency fund, as Fox News reported that nothing new had appeared on the dockets in either court as of Friday evening.