The Trump administration has proposed a rule that would remove millions more Americans from the country’s largest food aid program, even as participation is already shrinking. The proposal was issued on Tuesday by the US Department of Agriculture.
The rule would end automatic eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, commonly called food stamps, for households that receive cash aid through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. Those households currently qualify for SNAP without meeting federal income thresholds.
How the proposed eligibility change would work
TANF eligibility varies by state and is generally set between 130% and 200% of the federal poverty level, while SNAP eligibility is generally 130%. An agency analysis included in the proposed rule estimates that nearly 18% of SNAP recipients, or about 6.3 million people, would lose benefits.
The rule said the changes would make SNAP eligibility more standardised and would “preserve benefits for the truly needy.”
Enrollment already down by more than 5.5 million
According to USDA data, more than 5.5 million people have already lost SNAP benefits since cuts to the program were enacted in President Donald Trump’s July 2025 tax law. Enrollment now stands at about 36 million people.
The decline is partly attributed to states struggling to carry out administrative changes and to absorb significant new costs tied to the law. The USDA also estimates that 1.8 million children would lose eligibility for free school lunches, since SNAP enrollment also confers access to other food aid programs.
Democrats criticise rule as public comment period opens
Democratic Representative Angie Craig of Minnesota, the ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, called the rule “heartless and cruel” in a statement. She said the proposal would make it harder to meet basic needs and would roll back efforts to streamline federal programs.
The public will have 30 days to comment on the proposed rule.
