State websites blame Republicans for food stamp cuts as shutdown drags on
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Screenshot: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
Some Democratic-led states are copying the Trump administration, posting banners to government websites blaming Republicans for gaps in SNAP benefits starting Nov. 1.
Why it matters: The GOP has heavily pushed the idea that Democrats are responsible for the shutdown with banner messages across various federal websites.
- The State Department, White House, Small Business Administration and Justice Department websites all blamed Democrats for the government shutdown a day after it began.
- The Department of Housing and Urban Development's page said: "The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government."
Driving the news: States have started to warn that millions of families could go without food aid next month, and some have adopted the Trump administration's more partisan tone.
- "Because Republicans in Washington, D.C., failed to pass a federal budget, causing the federal government shutdown, November 2025 SNAP benefits cannot be paid," the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services website said.
- "Federal officials with the Trump Administration have told all states that if the Republican federal government shutdown continues, it won't pay for SNAP (food stamp) benefits in November," the Illinois Application for Benefits Eligibility website said. "As a result, SNAP customers will not receive November food benefits — unless there is further action from the Trump administration to reopen the government."
- The California Health and Human Services Agency said it was monitoring the shutdown's impacts on Californians, blaming "the failures of the president and Congress."
Between the lines: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), in particular, has gone to great lengths to adopt the same strategies used by President Trump, often mocking the president's style of social media posting.
What they're saying: White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson doubled down on blaming Democrats for the shutdown, saying "they can reopen the government at any point."
Go deeper: Trump admin uses government sites to blame Democrats for shutdown
Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson.
