Trump administration policy cuts 13% of SNAP enrollment in one year

US Department of Agriculture data show Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap) enrollment fell from 41.6 million in July 2025 to 36.5 million in June 2026, a 13% decrease. The decline followed restrictions imposed by the Trump administration through the One Big Beautiful Act. Stakeholders say the restrictions have driven more people to food banks or left people hungry. The Congressional Budget Office projects that the changes will lower spending by about $187 billion over 10 years.

The previous work requirement covered able-bodied adults aged 18 to 54 without dependents under 18. Those adults had to work at least 20 hours weekly or receive benefits for no more than three months over three years. The new rules require people aged 18 to 64 without a dependent under 14 to undertake paid or volunteer work for at least 20 hours weekly. The act requires states to cover 75% of Snap administrative costs starting in October, compared with half previously.

Arizona's Snap enrollment fell 50% between July 2025 and June 2026. Kentucky's enrollment decreased 6% over the same period. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat leading a predominantly Republican state, wrote this month to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins expressing concern that the changes increased hunger, including among children and elderly people.

Donald Trump and other Republicans say the changes encourage people to find employment. Trump and Rollins characterized the enrollment decline as a positive development. Rollins told a farming festival in Minnesota in August that moving 5 million people off food stamps was a major success for supporters of work. However, elected officials, nonprofit leaders and people experiencing food insecurity say the changes make feeding families harder. Critics note that grocery and gasoline prices have risen during Trump's second term despite Trump's promises. Gina Plata-Nino, Snap director at the Food Research and Action Center, said people would not need Snap if wages were sufficient.

The Food Bank Council of Michigan received more than three times the previous daily call volume after the changes took effect. The council temporarily suspended the helpline this week because of overwhelming demand for help with Snap applications and local food programs. Feed Louisville collects surplus ingredients from restaurants and farmers, prepares meals for partner organizations and distributes unused food to agencies. Feed Louisville founder and executive director Rhona Kamar said the organization previously had enough food but now distributes everything received each day. Kamar argued that communities must accept that some residents will always need help and provide resources accordingly.

Schools can use the Community Eligibility Provision (Cep) to offer federally funded breakfast and lunch to every student without household applications when at least 25% of students receive Snap or certain other public benefits. The Washington Post reported this week that falling student Snap enrollment has made providing those meals more difficult. The Post reported that 26 Houston Independent School District schools previously offering universal free meals through Cep no longer qualify.

Anti-hunger advocates say employment data do not support claims that more jobs or higher wages explain why fewer people need food stamps. Factcheck.org puts US non-farm job gains at 776,000 between January 2025 and September 2026, compared with 2.6 million during Joe Biden's final 20 months as president. Food Bank Council of Michigan chief external relations officer Sheril Kirshenbaum said available data establish falling benefit participation, not a sudden increase in jobs.

A USDA spokesperson said benefit enrollment changes continually and cannot be taken as evidence of any single policy's effect. The USDA spokesperson did not answer a question about concerns that the restrictions have left some Americans hungry.

States must also prepare for an October 2027 requirement to fund part of Snap benefits if payment error rates exceed 6%. USDA says payment error rates do not measure fraud. States with error rates above 13% received an implementation delay. Joseph Llobrera, senior research director for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' food assistance team, said states face higher existing costs and additional work to reduce errors. Kirshenbaum warned that the additional pressures could lengthen processing and delay assistance. Llobrera argued that the changes have put states in a position where failure is likely.

Sandra Scott, a 58-year-old Louisville resident who has experienced homelessness for most of her life, began receiving Snap benefits four years ago. Scott said soup kitchens and other options previously supplied food, but weekend meals were often unavailable. Scott has undergone six back operations and experienced mental illness. Scott became addicted to methamphetamines, became sober two years ago and now lives in subsidized housing. Scott is pursuing an emergency responder certificate and volunteers at The Table, a nonprofit restaurant where customers pay what they can. Scott urged Trump administration officials to consider life without money, accessible jobs or affordable housing.