When it comes to the SNAP program, Trump’s Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is not playing games.
She has said that she wants every SNAP recipient to have to reapply for the program, but in the meantime, she is asking every state for all of their SNAP data so that her department can audit the info for fraud.
All of the red states have already turned over their data but blue states like California, New York and Minnesota are resisting so Rollins has given them an ultimatum. Turn over the data or lose your SNAP funding entirely.
This is how it’s done.
NBC News reports:
Trump administration threatens to withhold SNAP benefits from blue states over immigration data
The Trump administration indicated Tuesday that it will begin withholding SNAP benefits from recipients in most Democratic-led states starting next week after those states refused to provide the Agriculture Department with data including recipients’ names and immigration statuses.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday that 29 Republican-led states have complied but that 21 states, including California, New York and Minnesota, have refused to provide the data, which was requested in February. Rollins has said her department requested the info to “root out … fraud.”
“So as of next week, we have begun and will begin to stop moving federal funds into those states, until they comply and they tell us and allow us to partner with them to root out this fraud and to protect the American taxpayer,” Rollins said at the White House meeting.
Close to 42 million people in the U.S. receive benefits for food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Here’s the clip:
NO DATA, NO MONEY — it’s that simple.
If a state won’t share data on criminal use of SNAP benefits, it won’t get a dollar of federal SNAP administrative funding.
Let’s see which states stand for accountability and which are just protecting their bribery schemes. 🤔💸 pic.twitter.com/Y1UXXDOoao
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) December 2, 2025
If these blue states want hardball, that’s what they’re going to get.
There is only one reason blue states won’t be transparent – they have something to hide.
All states should be eager to work with the Trump admin to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in SNAP to ensure 100% of benefits go to hungry families in need. https://t.co/kXsQu85wwK
— Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) December 3, 2025
Fantastic, thank you madam secretary.
The 21 resist states won’t comply so this will eventually get to SCOTUS.
But how can it be OK for states to refuse to share recipient data with the feds in a 100% federally funded program? https://t.co/XPeansCN2H
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) December 3, 2025
There is way too much fraud in the SNAP program. It’s time to handle this.