You’ve probably seen the headlines or heard the rumors swirling around social media lately. People are worried. Honestly, I get it. When you’re trying to figure out if you’ll be able to afford groceries next month, "policy updates" and "budget reconciliations" sound less like government business and more like a direct threat to your dinner table.
So, let's get into it. Will Trump cut food stamps?
The short answer is: it’s already happening, but maybe not in the way you think. It isn't just a simple "yes" or "no" button someone pushes in Washington. Instead, it’s a massive shift in how the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—which most of us still just call food stamps—actually works. On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), and that single piece of legislation is currently reshaping the lives of millions of Americans.
The New Reality of Work Requirements
The biggest change, and the one hitting people the hardest right now, involves work requirements.
For a long time, if you were an "Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents" (ABAWD), you had to work about 20 hours a week to keep your benefits for more than three months. But the definition of who fits that category just got a whole lot bigger.
Previously, if you were over 54, you were generally in the clear. Not anymore. The new law bumped that age limit up to 64. That means if you’re 60 years old and looking for work in a tough economy, you now have to prove you’re working, volunteering, or in a training program for at least 80 hours a month. If you don’t? You lose your benefits after three months.
It's a huge shift. We’re talking about people who are just a few years away from retirement suddenly having to navigate a bureaucracy they haven't touched in decades.
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And it's not just the older folks. The "parent" loophole got smaller too. It used to be that if you had a kid under 18 at home, you were exempt from these specific rules. Now, once your youngest hits 14, the government considers you able to work those 80 hours. Basically, having a high schooler at home no longer counts as a "dependent" reason to stay home.
Why Your State Might Be Struggling
There’s another layer to this that doesn't get talked about enough: the money behind the scenes.
The federal government used to split the cost of running SNAP 50/50 with the states. Under the OBBB Act, that’s changing. Starting in the 2027 fiscal year, the federal government is slashing its contribution. States will have to pick up 75% of the administrative costs.
Wait, it gets crazier. For the first time ever, states might have to start paying for a portion of the actual food benefits too. If a state has a "payment error rate" above 6%, they have to start chipping in.
- Error Rate 6-8%: State pays 5% of benefits.
- Error Rate 8-10%: State pays 10% of benefits.
- Error Rate over 10%: State pays 15% of benefits.
Why does this matter to you? Because states like Maryland or Illinois are already sounding the alarm. If a state can’t afford to pay its new 75% share of the paperwork costs, they might have to make the program harder to join just to save money. It’s a "squeeze" tactic. By making it more expensive for states to help people, the federal government is essentially nudging states to trim their own rolls.
Who is Losing Eligibility Entirely?
This is where things get really tough. The 2025 law didn't just add work rules; it cut certain groups out of the program completely.
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If you’re a veteran or someone who was recently homeless, you used to have special protections that kept you on SNAP even if you couldn't find a job right away. Those protections are gone. Under the new rules signed by the Trump administration, veterans and unhoused individuals are now subject to the same three-month time limit as everyone else unless they meet the work hours.
Non-citizens are also seeing massive cuts. The OBBB Act limited SNAP to a very specific list:
- U.S. Citizens and Nationals.
- Lawful Permanent Residents (Green Card holders), but usually only after a 5-year wait.
- Cuban/Haitian entrants and certain COFA citizens.
If you were a refugee or an asylee who relied on SNAP to get on your feet after arriving in the U.S., that bridge is being pulled up.
The "Soda Ban" and Choice Restrictions
Kinda surprisingly, the administration is also getting into what you can buy. You might have heard people complaining about "food police."
The USDA is now actively encouraging states to apply for "Food Restriction Waivers." Essentially, states like Texas, Florida, and Utah are moving to ban the use of SNAP for things like:
- Soda and energy drinks.
- Candy and "prepared desserts."
- Fruit drinks with less than 50% natural juice.
The administration says this is about "nutritional integrity." Critics, like the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), say it's just a way to make the program more stigmatized and harder for retailers to manage. Honestly, it’s a bit of both. But if you live in one of those states, don't be surprised if your EBT card stops working at the soda aisle by mid-2026.
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What’s Actually Happening to Your Monthly Amount?
If you’re wondering if the actual dollar amount on your card is going down, the answer is: maybe.
The law changed how the Thrifty Food Plan (the math used to decide benefit amounts) is calculated. It now prevents the USDA from doing "re-evaluations" that increase the cost of the plan. It basically caps how much benefits can rise, even if food prices at the grocery store are skyrocketing.
Also, they’ve changed the "Standard Utility Allowance." If you don't have an elderly or disabled person in your house, you now have to show actual utility bills to get the full deduction. If you can't prove exactly what you pay for heat or water, your monthly SNAP amount could drop significantly because the government assumes you have more "leftover" money than you actually do.
Is This a "Cut"?
Politicians love to argue about words. One side calls these "common-sense reforms to encourage work." The other calls them "cruel cuts to the most vulnerable."
But let’s look at the numbers. The National Education Association (NEA) estimates that SNAP is facing $186 billion in cuts over the next decade. That is the largest reduction to an anti-hunger program in U.S. history.
It’s not a cut in the sense that the program is being deleted. It’s a cut in the sense that the door is being narrowed. If you can't find 20 hours of work, you're out. If you’re a veteran struggling with PTSD, you’re out. If you’re 62 and can't figure out the new online reporting system, you’re out.
Actionable Steps: How to Protect Your Benefits
If you or someone you know is on SNAP, you can't just wait for a letter in the mail. By the time that letter arrives, it might be too late. Here is what you need to do right now:
- Check Your Recertification Date: Most of these changes hit you when you have to renew your application. Find out exactly when your current period ends.
- Document EVERYTHING: If you are working, get your pay stubs. If you are volunteering, get a signed letter from the organization on their letterhead. The 80-hour-a-month requirement is strict—if you report 79 hours, you could lose your benefits.
- Seek Medical Exemptions Early: If you have a physical or mental health condition that prevents you from working 20 hours a week, you need a doctor to sign a form now. Don't wait until the three-month clock starts ticking.
- Update Your Household Info: If you have an elderly person (65+) or a disabled person in your home, make sure the state knows. This can exempt the whole household from some of the harshest new utility and work rules.
- Look into "SNAP E&T": Many states offer "Employment and Training" programs. If you participate in these, those hours count toward your 80-hour requirement. It's often the easiest way to stay compliant if you can't find a traditional job.
The landscape of food assistance has changed. It's more about "proving you deserve it" than it used to be. Whether you agree with that or not, the rules are the rules, and staying informed is the only way to keep food on the table.