The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday temporarily halted a lower court order requiring the Trump administration to fully fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments during the ongoing government shutdown. The unsigned order, issued by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, pauses the mandate of a Rhode Island federal judge who earlier directed the government to deliver full November benefits using emergency reserves. The stay will remain in effect until 48 hours after a federal appeals court rules on a longer-term pause. Jackson acted after the First Circuit Court of Appeals declined to intervene immediately, effectively allowing the administration to continue issuing partial SNAP payments while the broader funding dispute moves through the courts. The Trump administration maintains that Congress, not the courts, controls appropriations, arguing that the executive branch cannot be compelled to spend money not allocated by lawmakers.

The legal battle comes amid the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, with SNAP supporting roughly 42 million Americans. Several states rushed to distribute full benefits after the lower court’s ruling, anticipating a possible reversal. In Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers released $104 million to 337,000 households, while Oregon and Hawaii worked overnight to process payments. The administration criticized these rapid distributions, saying they depleted limited federal reserves before courts had resolved the dispute. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that the lower court’s injunction “makes a mockery of the separation of powers” and insisted that only partial payments could be made from the $4.65 billion contingency fund available to the Department of Agriculture.

The conflict originated with U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr., who blocked the administration’s plan to reduce SNAP benefits to 65% of the usual amount. McConnell cited “irreparable harm” to millions of Americans relying on food assistance, requiring the government to use all available resources, including unspent child nutrition funds. The Supreme Court’s temporary freeze means states that have not yet processed payments must halt distribution, though states that already sent full benefits will not be required to recover funds. SNAP provides up to $300 per individual per month, with higher amounts for families, and the appeals court is expected to issue a ruling early next week.