As the federal government shutdown drags into its fourth week, more than 1.1 million Massachusetts residents are facing the frightening prospect of losing their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as early as November 1, 2025. The ongoing political standoff in Washington has triggered a fierce blame game, with state and national leaders trading accusations over who is responsible for the looming hunger crisis.
On October 24, 2025, the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) posted a striking notice on its official website. It read: "President Trump is currently choosing to not issue November SNAP benefits that help you and many families put food on the table." The message went on to warn that benefits could be cut because of "changes Congressional Republicans and President Trump enacted in the 'One Big Beautiful Bill.'" According to The Boston Herald, the DTA’s director of external affairs, Mike Cusher, doubled down on this position, stating in an email, "Due to the Trump administration’s federal government shutdown, November SNAP benefits are at risk of not being sent."
This public finger-pointing quickly sparked outrage from across the political spectrum. State Senator Ryan Fattman, a Republican from Sutton, called the DTA’s messaging "a type of political buffoonery that reinforces the brokenness of Washington, D.C., to everyday people." He added, "Using taxpayer resources to promulgate political messaging, whether it happens on the state or federal level, is immature, alienating and potentially illegal." Fattman urged the Massachusetts congressional delegation to return to Washington and vote to reopen the government.
Governor Maura Healey, flanked by Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Treasurer Deborah Goldberg at a news conference, made an impassioned plea for action, specifically targeting former President Donald Trump. "Donald Trump is the only President in the history of the United States to cut off SNAP benefits from the American people," Healey declared. "He is forcing millions of people – children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities – into hunger, raising costs and hurting local farmers and businesses. He is choosing to do this." The Healey administration emphasized that over 1.1 million Bay Staters rely on SNAP, with 32% being children and another 31% people with disabilities.
The political heat intensified when House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, a Massachusetts Democrat, said in a national interview, "Of course there will be families that are going to suffer, but it is one of the few leverage times we have." Republicans seized on this comment, with House Speaker Mike Johnson highlighting it as evidence that Democrats are using the shutdown as a bargaining chip. "By her own admission, she knows that the American people are suffering," Johnson told reporters. "Democrats know that millions of federal workers are desperate for their paychecks. ... They know that SNAP benefits and nutrition assistance for women, infants and children are in jeopardy for millions of American families. And yet, they don’t seem to care. But you know what? Take heart, America, take heart, because all of your suffering is for a good cause. It’s for the Democrats’ political leverage."
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that contingency funds are "not legally available to cover regular benefits" during the shutdown, putting additional pressure on Congress to reach a deal. According to MassLive, the Senate has repeatedly failed to pass Republican-authored stopgap funding bills, with the latest attempt on October 22, 2025, falling short of the 60-vote threshold needed for approval. Democrats, for their part, have stood firm on demands for healthcare concessions, including extending Affordable Care Act tax subsidies and restoring Medicaid cuts.
The impact of this standoff is deeply personal for many Massachusetts residents. In the state, one in six people relies on SNAP or WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) benefits. Among recipients, one-third are children, one-fourth are seniors over 60, and 28% are people with disabilities, according to MassLive. Food and hunger advocates warn that if the program is not funded, food pantries and food banks could be quickly overwhelmed. "We can do it. We can end hunger. But right now, we can’t because the federal government doesn’t have our back," said Andrew Morehouse, executive director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, at a Boston news conference.
U.S. Senator Ed Markey, also present at the event, did not mince words. He accused President Trump and his GOP allies of "dismembering the federal government" since January and described Trump as "an authoritarian dictator" and "a bully who thinks that he can get his way." Markey also criticized the Trump administration for building a $300 billion ballroom next to the White House while SNAP benefits are threatened, calling it "a complete lack of conscience shown by the Republicans and the MAGA supporters all across this country." U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley echoed these sentiments, stating, "Globally, hunger has always been a moral failing, a humanitarian crisis and a policy choice. Our families are now staring down a Nov. 1 cliff when, for the first time in history, an administration could fail to fund the SNAP program."
On the House side, Speaker Mike Johnson has kept the chamber out of session for weeks, a move Democrats accuse of prolonging the crisis. Pressley criticized her Republican colleagues for "creating work requirements around hungry people being able to get food, but they won’t show up for work." U.S. Representative Jim McGovern, a leading voice on food insecurity, issued a scathing statement: "It’s been 24 days since Republicans shut down the federal government. Meanwhile, food prices continue to go up as ground beef, coffee, and other household staples hit record highs. But instead of looking after the concerns of regular families, Donald Trump and USDA Secretary [Brooke] Rollins now appear ready and willing to shut down America’s largest food assistance program, screwing over millions of working and low people—seniors, children, and American with disabilities—who are now wondering if they’ll be able to eat next month."
Republicans, for their part, have introduced bills in both the House and Senate to fund SNAP payments amid the shutdown. They argue that Democrats are holding up these efforts by insisting on unrelated healthcare demands. The Healey administration has also highlighted that the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" is set to impose "major restrictions" on SNAP eligibility, potentially reducing or eliminating benefits for over 150,000 Bay Staters starting in November 2025.
Amid the mounting uncertainty, Governor Healey announced a partnership with local food banks, Project Bread, and the United Way to help families at risk. The new United Response Fund aims to solicit donations to support those who may soon lose their benefits. State House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano summed up the Democratic position: "The reality is that only President Trump and Congressional Republicans have the ability to end the pain that they are choosing to inflict by reopening the government."
With the deadline fast approaching, the fate of Massachusetts’ most vulnerable residents hangs in the balance. The political stalemate in Washington shows no sign of abating, and unless lawmakers act swiftly, the coming weeks could see thousands of families across the state forced to turn to already stretched food pantries for help. The stakes could hardly be higher, and the clock is ticking.
