All SNAP Recipients Must Reapply For Benefits

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Monday (November 17) that the Trump administration will require all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to reapply for benefits. This move aims to prevent fraud in the nation's largest food assistance program, which supports over 40 million Americans.

Rollins emphasized the need for recipients to demonstrate continued eligibility to receive benefits. She stated, "Business as usual is over. The status quo is no more," during an interview on Mornings with Maria on Fox Business. The administration's decision follows findings of significant misuse, including benefits being paid to 186,000 deceased individuals and 500,000 people receiving benefits in more than one state.

According to Newsweek, the USDA has requested states to share personal information about SNAP recipients, including Social Security numbers and addresses, to ensure program integrity. However, only 29 states have complied with this request, revealing substantial fraud, such as unauthorized purchases due to card skimming and cloning.

The USDA reported more than 226,000 fraudulent benefit claims and over 691,000 fraudulent transactions, costing the government over $102 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025. The administration has removed approximately 700,000 people from SNAP and arrested about 118 individuals for fraud.

President Donald Trump and Rollins have stressed the importance of preserving SNAP for those truly in need, highlighting the program's cost of nearly $100 billion last year. Rollins noted, "There are vulnerable families in America that need this program that aren’t getting it because of the fraud and abuse that now we’re going to work to fix."