Judge Sabotages Trump Again
A federal judge handpicked by former President Barack Obama has stepped in once again — this time ordering President Trump’s administration to release full food stamp payments to millions of recipients, even as the historic government shutdown continues.
U.S. District Judge John McConnell, an Obama appointee, ruled Thursday that the Trump administration must make all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments for November, rejecting the administration’s plan to issue partial benefits. McConnell claimed the move violated his earlier order, saying the issue “should have been avoided.”
Liberal Judge Overrules Trump’s Shutdown Budget Plan
The Trump administration had aimed to conserve taxpayer dollars during the record-breaking shutdown, initially moving to reduce SNAP spending that impacts roughly 42 million Americans. However, left-leaning groups and Democrat-led states immediately filed lawsuits to keep full payments flowing.
McConnell sided with those groups — led by Democracy Forward, a progressive legal organization — and declared that the administration must use all available funds to cover the full $9 billion in November benefits.
Justice Department attorney Tyler Becker argued that redirecting additional funds could put child nutrition programs at risk, but McConnell dismissed that concern as “arbitrary and capricious,” claiming that “28 million children are not at risk of going hungry.”
Democrat-Backed Lawsuits Pressure the Administration
This ruling marks another victory for liberal activists using the courts to challenge Trump’s fiscal agenda.
Democracy Forward’s president, Skye Perryman, cheered the ruling, calling it a “major victory” for millions of Americans. A second lawsuit filed by 25 Democrat-run states is now pending before another federal judge in Boston, who is also expected to side with the states.
Critics say this judicial overreach undermines the President’s ability to manage federal spending during a crisis. Supporters of the administration argue that liberal judges are using the bench to advance political agendas that keep government spending unchecked.
Shutdown Reaches Historic Length as GOP Pushes Vote
The ruling comes as the government shutdown stretches into its 37th day, the longest in U.S. history.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) plans to hold a key vote Friday on a continuing resolution that could reopen the government. The House-passed measure has already failed 14 times, highlighting the fierce partisan divide in Washington.
As millions of Americans await clarity, the battle over welfare spending and presidential authority continues to intensify — another clear example of how liberal judges and Democrat operatives are determined to block Trump’s reform agenda at every turn.
