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Full SNAP benefits start to go out even as the Trump administration appeals

Published

4 months ago

November 7, 2025

Press Room

Full SNAP benefits start to go out even as the Trump administration appeals

A SNAP EBT information sign is displayed at a bakery as a woman walks past in Chicago, Nov. 2.

Nam Y. Huh/AP

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Nam Y. Huh/AP

Some Americans are beginning to see this month’s SNAP food benefits restored. The Trump administration says it’s sending states money to fully fund them even as it appeals a new court order to pay for them. U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. ordered the government to restart the country’s largest anti-hunger program by Friday.

Shortly after that decision Thursday afternoon, a growing number of states started to announce they would be issuing full SNAP benefits. The list includes California, Oregon, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Some people woke up today with the money already on the debit-like EBT cards they use to buy groceries.

Trump administration officials on Friday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in its bid to block the release of SNAP payments for the millions of Americans in need of food assistance. The move came after an appeals court earlier on Friday rejected a request from the government to halt orders requiring them to issue SNAP payments.

Funding for the nation’s largest anti-hunger program ran out a week ago, as the federal shutdown entered its second month. States, cities and food banks have been ramping up donations desperately trying to fill the gap. Nearly 42 million people rely on SNAP, most of them extremely low-income families with children, along with seniors, or people with disabilities.

In his order, Judge McConnell admonished the government for deciding earlier in the week to make only partial SNAP payments. He said officials failed to consider the “needless suffering” that would cause millions of people who rely on that aid. He also suggested they had delayed the partial payments for “political reasons.”

The administration had said it did not have enough emergency funds to cover full payments because of the ongoing federal shutdown. In appealing the new order, officials argue that it’s up to Congress to provide more SNAP funding. And they say shifting money from elsewhere, as the judge directed, would only harm other child nutrition programs.

“There is no lawful basis for an order that directs USDA to somehow find $4 billion in the metaphorical couch cushions,” the government wrote in a court filing.

Earlier this week, the Agriculture Department tapped about $4 billion in a contingency fund for SNAP, which only covers about half the program’s monthly budget. It had directed states to recalculate partial payments, a complicated process some complained could take weeks.

The administration had asked the court to block full payments while its appeal played out. The appeals court denied that, and Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department has filed for an emergency stay with the U.S. Supreme Court.

But events seemed to overtake that move Friday, as more and more states told residents they would soon receive their full SNAP benefits.

One anti-hunger advocacy group welcomed the end of a “long, chaotic, and unnecessary delay” to this month’s benefits.

“The Trump administration all along had both the power and the authority to ensure that SNAP benefits continued uninterrupted but chose not to act until a court order forced it to do so,” said Crystal FitzSimons, president of the Food Research & Action Center.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

News

Map: Earthquake Shakes Central California

Published

4 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Map: Earthquake Shakes Central California

Note: Map shows the area with a shake intensity of 3 or greater, which U.S.G.S. defines as “weak,” though the earthquake may be felt outside the areas shown. All times on the map are Pacific time. The New York Times

A minor earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.5 struck in Central California on Monday, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The temblor happened at 7:17 a.m. Pacific time about 6 miles northwest of Pinnacles, Calif., data from the agency shows.

As seismologists review available data, they may revise the earthquake’s reported magnitude. Additional information collected about the earthquake may also prompt U.S.G.S. scientists to update the shake-severity map.

Source: United States Geological Survey | Notes: Shaking categories are based on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale. When aftershock data is available, the corresponding maps and charts include earthquakes within 100 miles and seven days of the initial quake. All times above are Pacific time. Shake data is as of Monday, March 2 at 10:20 a.m. Eastern. Aftershocks data is as of Monday, March 2 at 11:18 a.m. Eastern.

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US says Kuwait accidentally shot down 3 American jets

Published

7 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

US says Kuwait accidentally shot down 3 American jets

The U.S. and Israel have been conducting strikes against targets in Iran since Saturday morning, with the aim of toppling Tehran’s clerical regime. Iran has fired back, with retaliatory assaults featuring missiles and drones targeting several Gulf countries and American bases in the Middle East.

“All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation,” Central Command said.

“The cause of the incident is under investigation. Additional information will be released as it becomes available,” it added.

In a separate statement later Monday, Central Command said that American forces had been killed during combat since the strikes began.

“As of 7:30 am ET, March 2, four U.S. service members have been killed in action. The fourth service member, who was seriously wounded during Iran’s initial attacks, eventually succumbed to their injuries,” it said.

Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing. The identities of the fallen are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification,” Central Command added.

This story has been updated.

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Satellite images provide view inside Iran at war

Published

19 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Satellite images provide view inside Iran at war

Smoke rises over Konarak naval base in southern Iran on Sunday. The base was one of hundreds of targets of U.S. and Israeli forces throughout the country.

Planet Labs PBC

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Planet Labs PBC

Commercial satellite images are providing a unique look at the extent of damage being done to Iran’s military facilities across the country.

The U.S. and Israeli military campaign opened with a daytime attack that struck Iranian leadership in central Tehran. Smoke was still visible rising from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s compound following the attack that killed the supreme leader.

An image by the company Airbus taken on Saturday shows the aftermath of an Israeli strike on Iran’s Leadership House in central Tehran. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the opening wave of attacks.

Pléiades Neo (c) Airbus DS 2026

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Pléiades Neo (c) Airbus DS 2026

Israel and the U.S. have gone on to strike targets across the country. Reports on social media indicate that there have been numerous military bases and compounds attacked all over Iran, and Iran has responded with attacks throughout the Middle East.

U.S. forces have also been striking at Iran’s navy. In a post on his social media platform, President Trump said that he had been briefed that U.S. forces had sunk nine Iranian naval vessels. U.S. Central Command did not immediately confirm that number but it did say it had struck an Iranian warship in port.

An image captured on February 28 shows a ship burning at Iran's naval base at Konarak.

An image captured on Saturday shows a ship burning at Iran’s naval base at Konarak.

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Numerous satellite images show burning vessels at Konarak naval base in southern Iran. Images also show damage to a nearby airbase where hardened hangers were struck by precision munitions.

Hardened aircraft shelters at Konarak airbase were struck with precision munitions.

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And there was extensive damage at a drone base in the same area. Iran has launched numerous drones and missiles toward Israel and U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Many drones have been intercepted but videos on social media show that some have evaded air defenses and caused damage in nearby Gulf countries. In Dubai, debris from an Iranian drone damaged the iconic Burj Al Arab, according to a statement from Dubai’s government.

Buildings at an Iranian drone base at Konarak were destroyed in the strikes.

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Iran’s most powerful weapons are its long-range missiles. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have hidden the missiles deep inside mountain tunnels. Images taken Sunday in the mountains of northern Iran indicate that some of those tunnels were hit in a wave of strikes.

Following Khamenei’s death, Iran declared 40 days of mourning. Satellite images showed mourners gathering in Tehran’s Enghelab square on Sunday.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told NPR on Sunday that Iran will continue to fight “foreign aggression, foreign domination.”

A White House official told NPR that Trump plans to talk to Iran’s interim leadership “eventually,” but that for now, U.S. operations continue in the region “unabated.”

A large crowd of mourners fill Enghelab Square in Tehran on Sunday, following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

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