US food stamp enrollment drops 13% under Trump restrictions as advocates warn of rising hunger

New work requirements and administrative cost shifts lead to sharp decline in SNAP recipients

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published25 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has fallen by 13 per cent over the past year, dropping from 41.6 million in July 2025 to 36.5 million in June 2026, according to the latest data from the US Department of Agriculture. The Trump administration says the changes encourage work, but critics, including Democratic governors and anti-hunger advocates, warn that the reductions are forcing more Americans to rely on food banks and go hungry.

The decline comes after implementation of the One Big Beautiful Act, which expanded work requirements to people aged 18 to 64 without dependents under 14 and increased the minimum weekly work or volunteer hours to 20. The act also shifted the share of administrative costs paid by states from 50 per cent to 75 per cent, beginning in October 2026.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has defended the changes. Speaking at a farming festival in Minnesota in August, she said, "For those of us that love work and celebrate work and want people to work and not be on food stamps, it's a pretty big win when we move 5 million people off of food stamps."

But the impact has varied widely by state. In Arizona, enrollment fell by 50 per cent; in Kentucky, the drop was 6 per cent. Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky, a Democrat, wrote to Rollins this month expressing concern that more people are going hungry in his state, "impacting children and the elderly".

The Food Bank Council of Michigan reported receiving more than three times as many calls after the changes took effect and recently had to suspend its helpline. Rhona Kamar of Feed Louisville in Kentucky said that at her organisation, "every day the shelves are empty at the end of the day, so every bit of food that comes into our kitchen every day goes right back out to the community at the end of the day."

Critics also point to the broader economic context. The United States added 776,000 non-farm jobs between January 2025 and September 2026, compared with 2.6 million in the last 20 months of the Biden administration. "We don't have the data to suggest that there are more jobs suddenly out there. We just know fewer people are getting benefits," said Sheril Kirshenbaum of the Food Bank Council of Michigan.

The changes are also affecting school meal programmes. Under the Community Eligibility Provision, schools can offer free meals to all students if at least 25 per cent of students are enrolled in SNAP or other benefits. The decline in SNAP numbers has led to the loss of that eligibility for 26 schools in the Houston independent school district alone, according to the Washington Post.

Joseph Llobrera of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said states are "set up to fail" as they face higher administrative costs and future penalties for error rates above 6 per cent, which could lead to longer processing times and reduced access for people in need.

A USDA spokesperson said the number of people receiving benefits "is constantly changing and is not representative of any one policy."

Sandra Scott, a 58-year-old Louisville woman who has relied on SNAP while working towards an emergency responder certificate, questioned whether administration officials understand the struggles of those without resources. "Why don't you walk in one of our shoes?" she said.

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Decrease in SNAP enrollment, July 2025 to June 2026

Source: US Department of Agriculture, data via The Guardian

Analysis

Why This Matters

Over five million fewer Americans now receive food assistance, straining food banks and local organisations that report running out of food supplies.
Policy changes shift costs to states and tie funding to error rates, potentially making it harder for eligible people to access benefits and increasing wait times.
The reduction in SNAP enrollment also affects schools' ability to provide free meals, with dozens of schools already losing federal eligibility for universal meal programmes.

Background

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the US government's primary food assistance program. In 2025, the Trump administration passed the One Big Beautiful Act, which expanded work requirements to people aged 18 to 64 without a dependent under 14 (previously 18–54 without dependents) and increased the minimum weekly work or volunteer hours. The act also raised the share of administrative costs states must pay, from 50 per cent to 75 per cent, beginning in October 2026. A further change in October 2027 will require states to pay for some benefit costs if their payment error rate exceeds 6 per cent.

Key Perspectives

Donald Trump and the administration: View the decline in SNAP enrollment as a success. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins called it "a pretty big win" and said it shows people are moving from food stamps to work. Republicans argue the changes incentivise employment.

Democratic governors and anti-hunger advocates: Express concern over increased hunger. Governor Andy Beshear wrote that he fears more people are going hungry in Kentucky, especially children and the elderly. Advocates argue that people would not rely on SNAP if wages were sufficient, and that job growth does not support the claim that more people are working.

Non-profit organisations: Report increased demand and dwindling supplies. Feed Louisville's Rhona Kamar said that while the organisation previously had enough food, now all food is distributed daily. The Food Bank Council of Michigan had to halt its helpline due to overwhelming call volume.

SNAP recipients: Sandra Scott, who depends on SNAP while working towards a certificate, questioned whether officials understand the realities of poverty.

What to Watch

The implementation of the 75 per cent state administrative cost share from October 2026 and its effect on state budgets and processing times.
The October 2027 requirement for states to cover benefit costs if their error rate tops 6 per cent, potentially adding fiscal pressure.
The continued impact on school meal programmes, as more schools may lose Community Eligibility Provision status, reducing access to free meals for students.

Sources

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

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.

Show each claim

Not in the sourcesThe USDA spokesperson said the number of people receiving benefits “is constantly changing and is not representative of any one policy.”World news | The Guardian: ““The number of individuals receiving benefits is constantly changing and is not representative of any one policy,” the spokesperson stated in an email to the Guardian.”
Partly supportedNew work requirements and administrative cost shifts led to the sharp decline in SNAP recipients.World news | The Guardian: “The number of people who receive food stamps has dropped from 41.6 million in July 2025, before the One Big Beautiful Act took effect, to 36.5 million in June 2026, a 13% decrease”
Partly supportedLlobrera said error-rate penalties above 6% could lead to longer processing times and reduced access.World news | The Guardian: “States will now have to pay for most of the Snap administrative costs while also preparing for an October 2027 change that will require states to pay for some of Snap benefit costs if their payment error rate is above 6%... That could mean longer processing times and people who need assistance having to wait longer to get it, Kirshenbaum said.”
SupportedSNAP enrollment fell 13% under Trump restrictions, from 41.6 million in July 2025 to 36.5 million in June 2026.World news | The Guardian: “The number of people who receive food stamps has dropped from 41.6 million in July 2025, before the One Big Beautiful Act took effect, to 36.5 million in June 2026, a 13% decrease”
SupportedAdvocates warn that reductions are forcing more Americans to rely on food banks or go hungry.World news | The Guardian: “which has forced more people to seek help from food banks or go hungry, stakeholders say.”
SupportedThe new work rules apply to people aged 18 to 64 without a dependent under 14 and require at least 20 hours of paid or volunteer work weekly.World news | The Guardian: “Under Trump, the rules now state that people from ages 18 to 64 who do not have a dependent under 14 had to perform paid or volunteer work for at least 20 hours weekly.”
SupportedStates’ share of SNAP administrative costs rose from 50% to 75%, starting in October 2026.World news | The Guardian: “The One Big Beautiful Act also stated that starting October, states had to cover 75% of the Snap administrative costs, whereas before they had to cover half.”
SupportedRollins said at a Minnesota farming festival in August, “For those of us that love work and celebrate work and want people to work and not be on food stamps, it's a pretty big win when we move 5 million people off of food stamps.”World news | The Guardian: ““But for those of us that love work and celebrate work and want people to work and not be on food stamps, it’s a pretty big win when we move 5 million people off of food stamps.””
SupportedEnrollment fell 50% in Arizona and 6% in Kentucky.World news | The Guardian: “In Arizona, the number of people enrolled in Snap dropped by 50% between July 2025 and June 2026; Kentucky experienced a 6% decrease.”
SupportedBeshear wrote to Rollins this month expressing concern that more people were going hungry in his state, “impacting children and the elderly.”World news | The Guardian: ““I am concerned more people are going hungry in my state because of changes to” Snap, “impacting children and the elderly”, Kentucky governor, Andy Beshear, a Democrat who leads the predominantly Republican state, stated in a letter this month to Brooke Rollins, the US agriculture secretary.”
SupportedThe US added 776,000 non-farm jobs from January 2025 to September 2026, compared with 2.6 million in the last 20 months of Biden’s administration.World news | The Guardian: “The United States added 776,000 non-farm jobs between January 2025 and September 2026. During the last 20 months of Joe Biden’s presidency, the country added 2.6 million non-farm jobs”
SupportedThe decline in SNAP enrollment led 26 Houston independent school district schools to lose eligibility for free meals under the Community Eligibility Provision.World news | The Guardian: “In Houston independent school district, 26 schools that previously provided free meals to all students under Cep are no longer eligible for the program, according to the Post.”