Trump administration has pushed off 13% of Americans enrolled in food stamps

Food stamp rolls have shrunk sharply since the Trump administration's One Big Beautiful Act took effect. Department of Agriculture figures show enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program falling from 41. 6 million people in July 2025 to 36. 5 million in June 2026, a 13% decline. Anti-hunger groups, local officials and people facing food insecurity say the result is more hunger and heavier demand on charities, while Donald Trump and other Republicans argue the changes push recipients toward employment, according to The Guardian.

The law widened the work rule to cover adults up to age 64 whose children, if any, are 14 or older, requiring 20 hours a week of paid or volunteer work. It also raises the share of administrative costs states must bear to 75%, from half, starting in October. The Congressional Budget Office projects savings of about $187bn over ten years. Arizona saw a 50% enrollment drop, while Kentucky's was 6%. Governor Andy Beshear wrote to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins warning of hunger among children and older residents. Rollins called moving 5 million people off the program a big win.

The Food Bank Council of Michigan paused its helpline after call volume more than tripled.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at The Guardian →