Where SNAP cuts in Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" could hit Americans hardest
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President Trump's massive tax and spending bill, which is advancing through the House after surviving its Republican push through the Senate, would slash food benefits for thousands.
The big picture: It would mark a historic cut to the social safety net that Republicans claim weeds out waste, fraud and abuse — but experts say the restructuring of assistance programs could leave more people hungry and uninsured.
Context: Trump's signature policy bill adjusts work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the country's largest nutrition assistance program.
- In order to keep their benefits under the Senate-passed version of the bill, parents of children aged 14 or older would have to meet work requirements. The bill also bumps the work requirement age up to 64.
- Currently, SNAP's requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents apply to those between 18 and 54.
- It could also force some states to shoulder more benefit costs, the rate of which would be set by a state's percent of erroneous payments. Benefits are currently 100% federally funded, though states share administrative costs.
Threat level: Medicaid and food aid cuts could also lead to job losses and hits to state GDPs, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes.
Zoom out: In March 2025, more than 42 million Americans participated in SNAP, according to initial USDA data.
- The program provides crucial support for families with low-paying jobs, low-income older adults, people with disabilities and others.
- According to a CBPP analysis of FY 2024 USDA data, more than 62% of SNAP participants are in families with children, and more than 38% are in working families.
- New Mexico has the largest share participating in SNAP, with some 21% of the population helped by the program, according to preliminary March data.
By the numbers: The bill would reduce nutrition funding, which includes SNAP, by around $186 billion between 2025 and 2034.
- While analyst's projections have fluctuated as the legislation's provisions are tweaked, analysts have indicated millions of people could be cut from SNAP under the work requirement provisions.
- CBPP points to a CBO indication that more than 2 million people would be cut from SNAP under the work requirement provision.
- While the CBPP notes that revised legislation released June 25 slightly modified several SNAP provisions in the reconciliation plan, it still says more than 5 million people live in households at risk of losing at least some food assistance.
Go deeper: 5 under-the-radar pieces of Trump's "big, beautiful bill" that may impact your life
