Government shutdown updates: Judge lays out path for SNAP benefits

President Trump on Friday was asked about SNAP benefits, set to run out of funds on Saturday, and whether there is a possibility for the administration to move around money as it did to pay the troops in order to keep benefits flowing to millions of Americans.

"Well, there always is," Trump started to reply before immediately pointing the blame on Democrats.

"But all the Democrats have to do is say, 'Let's go.' I mean, you know, they don’t have to do anything. All they have to do is say 'The government is open,' and we only need five Democrats. But they're, you know, they've become a radical-left party," Trump said.

He added Democrats have "lost their minds."

A federal judge in Rhode Island is temporarily ordering the Trump administration to continue funding SNAP benefits.

"The court is orally at this time, ordering that USDA must distribute the contingency money timely, or as soon as possible, for the November 1 payments to be made," said U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr.

After an hourlong emergency hearing, the judge ruled that the suspension of SNAP funding is arbitrary and likely to cause irreparable harm, citing the "terror" felt by Americans who are scrambling to meet their basic nutritional needs.

"There is no doubt, and it is beyond argument that irreparable harm will begin to occur if it hasn't already occurred in the terror, it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food for their family," he said.

-ABC News' Peter Charalambous

A federal judge in Boston ruled that the Trump administration’s attempt to suspend SNAP funding is “unlawful” but declined to immediately order the program be funded.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani reserved judgement about whether to issue a temporary restraining order, instead asking the Trump administration to advise the court whether they would authorize reduced SNAP benefits for November. She ordered the Trump administration to answer her question about reduced SNAP funding by Monday.

“For the reasons stated below, Plaintiffs have standing to bring this action and are likely to succeed on their claim that Defendants’ suspension of SNAP benefits is unlawful,” she wrote.

“Where that suspension of benefits rested on an erroneous construction of the relevant statutory provisions, the court will allow Defendants to consider whether they will authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November, and report back to the court no later than Monday, November 3, 2025,” she added.

-ABC News' Peter Charalambous

The House will officially be out of session again next week amid the government shutdown -- scrapping votes for the sixth week in a row.

The lower chamber held its last vote on Sept. 19.

-ABC News' Lauren Peller