Trump administration tells judge it will partially fund SNAP benefits using contingency funds

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Monday night that it would take "several weeks to execute partial payments."

The Trump administration said in court filings Monday that it would use contingency funds to provide partial SNAP benefits in November after a judge on Friday ordered the Department of Agriculture to disburse funding for the program.

The administration said that it would use all $4.65 billion in contingency funds, which will cover about half of each eligible household's benefits this month.

Neighbors helping each other as SNAP benefits dry up for families in need03:09The administration said it would need at least $4 billion in additional government funds to provide full SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, in a social media post Monday night, said, "It will take several weeks to execute partial payments." She added that when the government reopens, “FULL benefits can get to families without delay.”

While the administration said it considered using funds from the Agriculture Department's Section 32 funds, the White House ultimately decided that those funds “must remain available to protect full operation of Child Nutrition Programs throughout the fiscal year, instead of being used for SNAP benefits.”