President Donald Trump found himself under fire from critics on Friday night after his administration begged the Supreme Court on Friday night to block a ruling forcing him to fully cover food stamp benefits for tens of millions of Americans in need.
Trump's team filed an emergency request hours after the administration said it would abide by a court ruling to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. That followed a ruling from Rhode Island District Judge John McConnell.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture told states it was working to comply with McConnell’s order.
Instead, on Friday night, Trump's team asked the Supreme Court to immediately step in and block the ruling by 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time, CNN reported.
“Such a funding lapse is a crisis,” the administration reportedly said in its emergency appeal. “But it is a crisis occasioned by congressional failure and one that can only be solved through congressional action.”
“The district court’s ruling is untenable at every turn,” U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the high court.
Trump's move predictably led to immediate outrage.
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) wrote on X, "Suing to starve people.. great job @POTUS."
Progressive influencer Brian Krassenstein noted on X, "And then moments after he headed to his resort in Mar-a-Lago with his billionaire friends."
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) wrote on X, "This psycho behavior. The money is there. Just feed the Americans you absolute maniacs."
X user Mike Holden wrote, "Trump fans voted to have their food withdrawn."
Fellow X user Paul Tencher, who has worked with multiple U.S. senators, including Ed Markey (D-MA ), chided, "The Republicans and their leader filed a lawsuit to stop hungry kids from being fed."