Nov. 9, 2025
MADISON, Wis. — In a dramatic battle over essential food benefits, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and his administration have been locked in a high-stakes legal struggle with the Trump administration over federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known locally as FoodShare. The conflict escalated rapidly over the past several days, plunging nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites into financial uncertainty after their benefits were briefly restored, only to be challenged immediately by the federal government.
Here is what we know as of right now on Sunday, Nov. 9, based on press releases from Gov. Tony Evers office and Associated Press reports from Scott Bauer, Nicholas Riccardi, Jill Colvin, Michelle Price and Lindsay Whitehurst.
The legal wrangling erupted after the SNAP program ran out of funding earlier this month, running dry on November 1. A federal court subsequently directed the Trump administration to use billions in readily available federal resources to issue the full month of November SNAP payments to states, setting a deadline of Friday, November 7.
Following the order on Thursday, November 6, the Evers Administration moved quickly to release the payments. The state relied on the federal court directive because, although the Trump administration had filed a notice of appeal, it had specifically declined to ask the court order to be put on hold.
Wisconsin officials processed the full November benefits for 337,137 households, totaling more than $104 million. By midnight on Friday, November 7, the full benefits were activated on eligible recipients’ QUEST cards. Wisconsin was likely the first, if not the only, state to have its SNAP files uploaded by the 10 p.m. deadline for the next business day’s processing.
A Day of Confusion and Contradiction
Friday, November 7, became a day of immense confusion, marked by conflicting messages and sudden legal shifts from the Trump administration.
First, after filing a motion for appeal the day prior, the Trump administration moved for a stay of the District of Rhode Island’s temporary restraining orders. However, hours later on the same day, the administration notified states, including Wisconsin, that it was implementing full SNAP benefits for November and assured them it would “complete the processes necessary to make funds available”. Consequently, “many States began submitting files to their vendors for full November benefits”.
“The States have experienced the significant confusion the federal government has created around the payment of SNAP benefits—first agreeing to provide partial benefits, then filing a motion to stay in the First Circuit, then informing states that it would provide full benefits, and then filing a motion to stay in the Supreme Court,” the filing states.
Despite the federal assurances, the U.S. Treasury denied Wisconsin’s request to authorize the payment of full benefits on the morning of November 7. This denial occurred even after nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites—including 270,000 children—already had their benefits restored and activated based on an active federal court’s directive that the Trump administration had not yet asked to be stayed. FoodShare members wasted no time spending the newly restored funds, purchasing about $9.9 million in food and groceries on November 7 alone.
Hours after sending the letter affirming to states that they were working to implement full SNAP benefits—an affirmation several states relied upon—the Trump administration then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court requesting an emergency stay. The Supreme Court late Friday granted the administration’s emergency appeal to temporarily block the court order requiring it to fully fund the SNAP aid. The administration had contended in court filings that the district judge had usurped both legislative and executive authority by issuing the order.
Wisconsin Faces Reimbursement Crisis
The immediate consequence of the U.S. Treasury’s denial was that Wisconsin became at risk of having insufficient SNAP funds to reimburse local food stores and retailers for FoodShare purchases.
The process requires the federal government to confirm that the U.S. Treasury has sufficient funds to cover the total amount of the benefit issuance files, which increases Wisconsin’s “Letter of Credit” (LOC). Food retailers receive payment only after the state’s LOC is verified as sufficient. Because the U.S. Treasury did not approve the increase as it normally would, Wisconsin is now at risk of having insufficient funds to reimburse retailers.
As of the evening of November 7, Wisconsin had less than two days of cash remaining on the LOC based on current SNAP recipient spending. The state had a balance of about $19.5 million, but the daily spend was approximately $9.9 million. State filings indicated that without immediate action, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) would likely exceed its Line of Credit on Monday, November 10.
In response to the administration’s actions, Gov. Evers and a coalition of states and governors filed a new letter before the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals asking the court to reject the federal government’s attempt to yank the payments.
“The Trump Administration is actively trying to prevent Wisconsin from being able to rely on readily available federal resources to support full November FoodShare payments for nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites, including 270,000 kids. It’s unconscionable,” Gov. Evers said.
Evers further slammed the administration for making a “pathetic” plea to the U.S. Supreme Court asking not to be forced to use federal resources to feed people.
The legal wrangling has left millions of Americans who depend on food aid in confusing limbo, with some states having processed full benefits while others wait. The administration has faced lawsuits from Democratic-leaning states, nonprofits and cities since shortly after announcing that SNAP benefits would not be available in November because of the shutdown. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called the administration’s actions “shameful,” stating that the administration had decided to weaponize hunger by withholding SNAP benefits. (Associated Press)
The states’ filing concluded that a stay of the district court’s temporary restraining orders would risk “catastrophic operational disruptions for the States, with a consequent cascade of harms for their residents”.
For now, full November FoodShare benefits remain available on all Wisconsin QUEST cards, and the state does not expect any immediate impacts for FoodShare members while it continues to work to secure the funds owed from the federal government.
(Colvin reported from New York and Whitehurst from Washington.) (Associated Press)
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