❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced that over 600,000 Americans have stopped claiming Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits since he took office.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and millions of Americans relying on SNAP benefits.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Trump made the announcement during the APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Wednesday.
💬KEY QUOTE: “In nine months, we’ve lifted over 600,000 Americans off food stamps.” – Donald Trump
🎯IMPACT: While the exact cause of the drop in SNAP reliance isn’t entirely clear, declining inflation and increasing domestic industrial investment are two likely factors impacting the decline.
President Donald J. Trump announced that the number of Americans receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits has dropped by more than 600,000 since he took office. The revelation was made during his address at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Wednesday.
During his remarks, Trump stated, “In nine months, we’ve lifted over 600,000 Americans off food stamps.” According to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data, between January and May 2025, the number of SNAP recipients dropped by 645,315, from 42,380,525 to 41,735,210. Notably, the number of SNAP recipients has been gradually decreasing since October 2024. USDA data shows a reduction of 1,515,619 recipients between October 2024 and May 2025.
While the exact cause of the drop in SNAP reliance isn’t entirely clear, declining inflation and increasing domestic industrial investment are two likely factors impacting the decline. Since taking office in January, President Trump has secured billions in new corporate investment in American manufacturing to revive domestic production and support well-paying blue-collar jobs.
The USDA recently confirmed that food assistance, issued to just under 42 million low- and no-income Americans, will not be distributed on time in November due to the ongoing government shutdown. The shutdown, which began on October 1 when Senate Democrats blocked a continuing resolution (CR) temporarily extending appropriations, has caused nonessential federal services to cease, including programs like SNAP that depend on federal funding.
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