ABC anchor David Muir had bad news for Donald Trump after the government was ordered to use contingency funds for SNAP food aid payments during the shutdown.
Two federal judges issued back-to-back rulings on Friday ordering the Trump administration to continue to fund SNAP, the nation’s biggest food aid program, by using emergency funds. The rulings came as the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because it could no longer keep funding it due to the government shutdown.
Muir, 51, hosted ABC World News Tonight on Friday to report on the update. “Day 31 of this government shutdown, just hours before more than 40 million Americans were set to lose federal food assistance, a federal judge now ordering the Trump administration to use emergency funds to pay for it,” the journalist revealed. It comes after we revealed Muir’s surprising net worth after his long ABC career.
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Muir then handed over to correspondent Jay O’Brien for more details. The Washington, DC-based reporter said, “Tonight, hours before the government shutdown would force critical food assistance to run out, a federal judge now ordering the Trump administration to use emergency funds, saying, ‘Without the SNAP federal food program, some 42 million of the countries most vulnerable would face irreparable harm and terror over the availability of funding for food for their family.’”
David Muir gave an update on the government’s plans(Image: instagram/ abc)
O’Brien said the Trump administration is arguing it’s “not legally allowed to use the money.” He continued, “Late tonight, President Trump saying he’s instructing the government’s lawyers to ask the judge how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible, saying if the court gives direction ‘it will be my honor to provide the funding.’”
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The reporter said food pantries across the country “now fear they’ll be overwhelmed.” Radha Muthiah, CEO and President of the Capital Area Food Bank, told O’Brien, “We know right now that we can’t keep up and make up the difference.” When O’Brien asked, “You can’t keep up with all of it?” she replied, “We absolutely cannot.”
O’Brien continued, “After his administration moved money around to cover soldiers’ pay checks this week, President Trump today pressed on whether he could do the same for SNAP.” The broadcast then cut to Trump answering questions as he said, “All the Democrats have to do is say, ‘Let’s go.’ I mean, they don’t have to do anything. All they have to do is say, ‘The government is open.’”
O’Brien continued, “But Democrats holding firm for an extension of ObamaCare tax credits to prevent health care costs for some 20 million Americans from skyrocketing.”
Reporting live from Capitol Hill, the journalist said, “David tonight Republicans still refusing to negotiate while the government is shutdown. Democrats saying they don’t believe Republicans will negotiate at all and they’re forcing them to confront the issue now.
“In the meantime, exactly one month into this shutdown, as critical programs like SNAP are on the line, members of congress are still getting paid. Their next pay check goes out tomorrow.” Muir replied, “Americans very aware of that.”
Viewers have responded to the report(Image: instagram/ abc)
The clip was shared on Instagram with the caption, “Hours before the government shutdown would force critical food assistance to run out, a federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration to use emergency funds to continue SNAP benefits. Jay O’Brien has details.”
Viewers rushed to the comments to slam Trump, with one person calling for the president to be impeached. “Terror is exactly what they want. They want riots and looting, etc, so they can call marshal law,” another person suggested.
Someone else echoed, “He don’t care about anything legal any other time, let’s not pretend to now he’s either going to release the funds and act like he saved the world. Or wants people to riot so he can send the army to cities.”
Americans are worried(Image: AP)
“He is playing games, he wants to act like he is the hero, but he has caused so much stress on people. Even if he funds it tomorrow, he is NOT the hero,” a fourth viewer warned.
One fan commented, “If the government can feed you they can starve you. Never trust them. Wake up,” as someone else pointed out, “This should NOT be happening in America we need to start taking care of our people that need it the most.”
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani told lawyers on Friday that if the government can’t afford to cover the cost of the SNAP program, there is a process to follow rather than simply suspending benefits. “The steps involve finding an equitable way of reducing benefits,” Talwani said.
Government lawyers have argued a contingency fund containing around $5 billion cannot legally be used to maintain SNAP, a program that costs around $8 billion a month. SNAP serves approximately 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nation’s social safety net.
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