A federal judge on Friday could force the Trump administration to reverse its refusal to use contingency funds to keep the U.S. nutrition program running.
As the government shutdown stretches into its 31st day, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are set to expire Saturday, affecting more than 40 million people. But a ruling in one or both lawsuits challenging the defunding — one filed by 25 states, the other filed by a coalition of cities — could halt that.
Meanwhile Friday, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) warned against ending the filibuster, an action President Trump insisted the Senate take to pass the government funding bill with a simple majority.
Trump posted Thursday night on Truth Social that it was “time” for the GOP to use the so-called nuclear option to “Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!”
Johnson noted the “important safeguard” the filibuster offers. “If the shoe was on the other foot, I don’t think our team would like it.”
Trump left the White House on Friday morning for a weekend at his Florida estate after returning Thursday from a five-day, three-country swing through Asia and an evening of Halloween celebration at the White House.
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