Today's News: Judge Demands SNAP Payments Continue, Trump Demands Filibuster Nuclear Option
President Trump’s renewed call for Republican leaders to eliminate the Senate filibuster to end the stalemate, a suggestion largely rejected by top GOP officials.
Photo: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg
Overview
Date: October 31, 2025
Summary: The articles cover two major developments amidst an ongoing government shutdown: President Trump’s renewed call for Republican leaders to eliminate the Senate filibuster to end the stalemate, a suggestion largely rejected by top GOP officials; and federal court rulings ordering the Trump administration to release contingency funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Two federal judges found the administration’s refusal to use emergency funds for SNAP unlawful, citing the risk of irreparable harm to millions of Americans, despite the administration’s argument that these funds were for natural disasters and not a lapse in appropriations.
Sources
CNN - Republican leaders reject ending the Senate filibuster despite Trump’s call to nuke it
NBC News - Federal judge orders Trump administration to pay SNAP benefits out of contingency fund
The Washington Post - Trump administration must release billions in SNAP funds, judge says
The Wall Street Journal - Government Must Use Emergency Funds for SNAP Benefits, Judges Rule
Fox News - Two judges rule Trump admin must keep SNAP benefits in place as shutdown drags on
Key Points
President Trump’s Demand to End Filibuster: President Trump called for the elimination of the legislative filibuster, or the use of the “nuclear option,” to overcome Democratic opposition and end the government shutdown, allowing legislation to pass with a simple majority.
Republican Opposition to Ending Filibuster: Top Republican congressional leaders, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson, firmly rejected President Trump’s demand, viewing the filibuster as a crucial safeguard for minority rights and expressing concerns that its removal would enable future Democratic majorities to pass extreme measures.
Federal Court Rulings on SNAP Benefits: Multiple federal judges, specifically Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island and Judge Indira Talwani in Massachusetts, ruled that the Trump administration acted unlawfully by refusing to utilize contingency funds to maintain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the shutdown.
Irreparable Harm to SNAP Recipients: The judges and the plaintiffs in the lawsuits emphasized the “irreparable harm” that would befall approximately 42 million low-income Americans if SNAP benefits were suspended, underscoring the program’s essential role in food security.
Administration’s Argument Against Using SNAP Contingency Funds: The Trump administration, through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and officials like National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, maintained that SNAP contingency funds were legally unavailable to cover a lapse in appropriations and were specifically designated for natural disasters or other emergencies.
Legal Challenges to USDA’s Stance: Lawsuits were initiated by coalitions comprising cities, nonprofits, unions, small businesses, and Democratic state attorneys general and governors, arguing that the USDA was legally obligated to disburse the SNAP contingency funds.
Impact of Shutdown on SNAP Benefits: The ongoing government shutdown directly led to the Trump administration’s initial decision to halt SNAP benefits beginning November 1, impacting millions of Americans.
Unique Highlights
CNN - Republican leaders reject ending the Senate filibuster despite Trump’s call to nuke it: Includes quotes from freshman Sen. John Curtis emphasizing the filibuster’s role in finding common ground and Sen. Roger Marshall stating it protects minority rights. A GOP Senate staffer is quoted saying, “No one in the conference seriously wants to nuke the filibuster except maybe two.”
CNN - Trump just kneecapped the GOP’s shutdown strategy: Focuses on the political damage Trump’s call inflicted on the GOP, citing a Washington Post-ABC News poll showing 45% of Americans blamed Trump and the GOP for the shutdown. It details Trump’s history of unhelpful interventions in past shutdown debates, including those involving the Children’s Health Insurance Program and a debt ceiling increase with Elon Musk.
NBC News - Federal judge orders Trump administration to pay SNAP benefits out of contingency fund: Features a direct quote from National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett criticizing the ruling as a result of a “liberal judge” and expressing concern about depleting emergency funds needed for natural disasters.
The Washington Post - Trump administration must release billions in SNAP funds, judge says: Clarifies that despite the rulings, SNAP benefits will likely be delayed for millions on Saturday due to the time needed for states and contractors to process payments. It highlights that the USDA’s own “Lapse of Funding Plan” previously stated contingency reserves could be used for SNAP, but this was later removed.
The Wall Street Journal - Government Must Use Emergency Funds for SNAP Benefits, Judges Rule: Notes the government’s argument in court that the operational challenges of calculating and making partial payments to millions of recipients on short notice could take weeks, “if it can be done at all.”
Fox News - Two judges rule Trump admin must keep SNAP benefits in place as shutdown drags on: Emphasizes that this marks “the first time in 60 years that the program lapsed because of a government shutdown.” It includes Judge Talwani’s court statement: “It’s hard for me to understand how this isn’t an emergency when there’s no money and a lot of people need their SNAP benefits.”
The New York Times - Trump Administration Live Updates: Government Ordered to Pay Food Stamp Benefits During Shutdown: Combines both the filibuster and SNAP topics. It quotes President Trump’s misleading claim that SNAP recipients are “largely Democrats” and his promise to cut “Democrat programs.” It also mentions a Justice Department lawyer, Tyler Becker, arguing that the shutdown was “not an emergency” regarding SNAP benefits.
Contrasting Details
Interpretation of Contingency Funds: The Trump administration, through Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins (The Washington Post, The New York Times) and National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett (NBC News), argued that USDA contingency funds were not legally available for SNAP benefits during a government shutdown and were specifically reserved for natural disasters. In contrast, federal judges (NBC News, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, The New York Times) and legal experts (The Washington Post) found this interpretation unlawful, noting that Congress had appropriated the funds for emergencies and that the government had used them in previous shutdowns.
Urgency of the Situation: Justice Department lawyer Tyler Becker, representing the Trump administration, argued at a hearing that the shutdown was “not an emergency” regarding SNAP benefits (The New York Times). This directly contrasts with the judges’ strong findings, such as Judge McConnell’s declaration of “irreparable harm” (NBC News, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal) and Judge Talwani’s questioning, “It’s hard for me to understand how this isn’t an emergency when there’s no money and a lot of people need their SNAP benefits” (Fox News, The New York Times).
Filibuster Strategy: President Trump adamantly called for Republican leaders to “nuke” the filibuster (CNN, The New York Times), using phrases like “play their “TRUMP CARD”” (The New York Times). However, top Republican leaders like Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson explicitly rejected this approach (CNN, The New York Times), with Thune’s spokesperson stating his position “is unchanged” (CNN, The New York Times). This highlights a clear disagreement on a core legislative strategy within the Republican party.
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