Federal Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of Rhode Island praised President Donald Trump’s prompt action to secure SNAP benefits during the government shutdown, thanking him for ensuring aid distribution continued without interruption. The court ordered the USDA to use contingency funds to deliver food assistance to millions of Americans despite the funding lapse.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins had argued those funds were restricted to natural disasters, but McConnell cited previous presidential guidance allowing their use in shutdowns. About 42 million Americans rely on SNAP, and the judge warned that any delay could severely affect families’ access to food. A separate Boston court reached the same conclusion, ruling that halting payments would be unlawful.

The debate quickly took on political dimensions. Pollster Matt Towery told Fox News that Democrats’ attempts to use the funding dispute to criticize Trump might backfire, as growing public fatigue with shutdown politics and shifting attitudes toward welfare programs could reshape voter sentiment across generational lines.