Trump administration won’t tap contingency fund to keep food aid flowing, memo says
October 24, 2025
The Trump administration says it won’t use a roughly $5 billion contingency fund to keep food aid flowing in November amid the government shutdown. The administration also says that states temporarily covering the cost of food assistance benefits next month will not be reimbursed. The declarations are part of a two-page Agriculture Department memo that surfaced Friday. The memo blames Democratic lawmakers for food assistance benefits not going out on Nov. 1. But House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said the administration has the resources to ensure than not a single American goes hungry on Nov. 1. The program helps about 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries.