SNAP benefits are finally being sent out after weeks of delays during the government shutdown.

Question

The article talks about how people are finally starting to get their SNAP (food stamp) money after weeks of waiting and stress from the government shutdown. The Trump administration said it would pay for the benefits, but then the Supreme Court paused some of that funding, which caused even more confusion. Some people only got part of their money, while others got the full amount. States like Oregon and Wisconsin worked fast to send out payments after a judge said the government had to pay in full. A lot of people are still waiting and worried if their benefits will stay on their cards.

Answer 1

This week, I checked the accuracy of the claim that SNAP benefits are finally being sent out. This post was published by Charlie Gonzales. I was unable to find any information on him from Google searches and LinkedIn. However, I was able to see that he has been on News Detective for only a month and has not interacted with other posts. He has no other posts, which allows me to infer that he is not an expert on this topic. Despite not being a very credible author, Charlie regained credibility by using reliable sources, including NBC News. 

This claim is partially accurate in the sense that SNAP benefits have been temporarily shut down due to the recent U.S federal government shutdown. Users were notified that they would likely not receive their November benefits due to there being a drought of funding: “The Department of Agriculture has said that funding for this month's benefits, which it says comes to about $9.5 billion, has run dry” (ABC). This information stemmed from statements placed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which verifies the credibility. 

I myself am a recipient of these benefits, and yesterday, November seventh, I was finally able to gain access to my November benefits. Me and all of my roommates received ours all at the same time, and we were finally able to relax and know that we could continue paying for our groceries without feeling anxious. 

However, it is important to note that this article is not fully accurate and is a bit misleading, due to the fact that many people have yet to receive their benefits. It is not true to state that the funding is actively being sent out: “The twists and turns since have exacerbated uncertainty for the nearly 1 in 8 Americans who receive monthly SNAP benefits to spend at grocery stores and farmers’ markets” (ABC). SNAP benefits are federally funded but managed by the states, which is why some states have received theirs more quickly. This illustrates that some people are receiving their benefits, while the majority of others are still waiting. This is a result of different states taking quicker steps to ensure that their citizens are getting their benefits as soon as possible. “In Hawaii, Oregon, and Wisconsin, officials worked quickly after a judge ordered full benefit payments Thursday to instruct their EBT providers to process the full payments” (ABC). As an Oregonian, this shows that the reason my benefits were reinstated so quickly was due to Oregon officials making fast and efficient decisions in order to protect each other.

Overall, this claim is partially accurate in the sense that funds did run out during the government shutdown. However, it is impossible to say that all SNAP benefits have been sent out.  

https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases 

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/people-states-snap-food-aid-wait-november-benefits-127326255 

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/snap-benefits-run-dry-government-shutdown-continues-states/story?id=127059480 

Comments

Very good response. I found your personal experience with this more insightful, as I was unaware that people were still receiving benefits. I would like to do more research on this topic after reading this response.

Answer 2

The claim that SNAP benefits were finally sent out after weeks of delay during the government shutdown is mostly true but slightly misleading. Primary sources like the USDA’s November 2025 press release and Michigan’s DHHS update confirm that benefits were delayed due to a temporary funding lapse during the shutdown and resumed after a federal court ordered the USDA to pay out funds—not because of any Supreme Court action. Secondary sources including NBC News, Time Magazine, and the Associated Press all report that states began issuing delayed payments once emergency funding was approved, with no mention of Supreme Court involvement. While the claim correctly notes that some people waited weeks and that states like Oregon and Wisconsin acted quickly, it overstates the role of the Supreme Court and simplifies how different states handled the rollout. All the cited sources are credible, though agencies like USDA have an interest in emphasizing their responsiveness, and news outlets may frame coverage to highlight political accountability.

Sources: 

USDA Press Releases | USDA

Following federal court order for USDA, MDHHS directs SNAP vendor to issue full payments to Michiganders

SNAP benefits start to trickle in after weeks of chaos and desperation

Will SNAP Benefits Be Delayed Due to Government Shutdown? | TIME

Judges order the Trump administration to use emergency reserves for SNAP payments | AP News

 

Comments

You did a really good job of providing lots of sources and information which is super helpful when evaluating people's claims and comments. The use of multiple websites also is good because it provides a wide range of opinions. Great job.

Answer 3

Although some important details are simplified, the paragraph is largely accurate. While the Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower court's order requiring full November payments, it is true that SNAP recipients experienced confusion and delays during the government shutdown. Following the initial court decision, some states—like Oregon and Wisconsin—did act swiftly to provide full benefits, while others only sent partial or postponed payments. But the Trump administration wasn't just blocked after promising to pay. Under pressure from the courts, it eventually agreed to partial payments after first arguing that it lacked the legal authority to distribute funds without congressional approval. Although state officials assured them that once money was on their EBT cards, it was safe, reports also show that many recipients continued to worry about whether their benefits would be available. Overall, the story conveys the tension of the situation, but it leaves out crucial background information regarding the administrative and legal complexities.