What to know about the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, sometimes referred to as food stamps.

As the controversy over funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the government shutdown dragged on in recent days, the top official in charge of the program pivoted to a new talking point, calling the program that some 42 million Americans rely on "corrupt."

An average of 41.7 million people, or 12.3 % of the U.S. population, received SNAP benefits each month in Fiscal Year 2024, according to the USDA. October 2025 reports indicate that about 42 million Americans participate in SNAP monthly.

The Trump administration said in a court filing that it would use a reserve to cover "50% of eligible households’ current allotments."

Trump prompted further concern when he threatened to withhold SNAP benefits until the end of the government shutdown.

Alabama is not among the states that are getting involved ahead of the suspension of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, starting Nov. 1. The prospect of nearly 42 million Americans not receiving food assistance has raised concerns across states governed by both political parties.

The federal government shutdown is threatening to suspend these SNAP benefits, after the US Department of Agriculture last week, in a message on its website, that payments would not be issued on Nov.

Red tape stands in the way of issuing food assistance, as benefits shrink in the wake of the government shutdown, according to state officials.