A newly signed law championed by former President Donald Trump is set to slash food stamp benefits for an estimated 2.2 million Americans, a move anti-hunger advocates warn will leave millions—including many children—without consistent access to meals.
The legislation, passed narrowly in Congress last week, tightens eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), reducing income thresholds and imposing stricter work requirements. Supporters argue the cuts will save billions in federal spending and encourage self-sufficiency, but critics say the impact will fall disproportionately on low-income families, seniors, and children.
“This law doesn’t promote work—it promotes hunger,” said Linda Carr, director of the National Hunger Action Coalition. “For kids in food-insecure households, this could mean skipping dinner, going to school on an empty stomach, and facing serious long-term health consequences.”
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, children make up nearly 40% of SNAP recipients, meaning that roughly 900,000 kids could lose partial or full benefits under the new rules. In some rural areas, where jobs are scarce and grocery prices are high, families could be hit especially hard.
Trump defended the measure in a statement, calling it “a return to common-sense welfare reform” and saying it would “cut waste, fraud, and abuse” in the program. “We want to make sure benefits go to those who truly need them,” he said.
Food banks nationwide are already bracing for a surge in demand. “We’re expecting lines to get longer and shelves to get emptier,” said Marcia Lopez, who runs a community pantry in Phoenix. “You can’t take food off people’s tables and expect them to just be fine.”
The new restrictions are set to take effect in January, leaving advocates scrambling to find alternative resources for families who will soon be cut off. Hunger relief organizations warn that without swift action, millions could face a harsher winter—especially the children caught in the middle.