Miles Taylor, who was a deputy chief of staff for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) during the first Trump administration, went after President Trump as the government shutdown endangers the distribution of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits this weekend.
“I was part of the internal Trump administration team trying to convince the president to end the shutdown in 2018 – 2019 — for 35 days — before people went hungry, workers lost pay, and government services collapsed,” Taylor said in a post on the social platform X Wednesday.
“Here’s what I learned: he doesn’t give a s—,” he added.
SNAP funding runs out Friday.
On Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said her department is legally barred from using its contingency fund to keep SNAP benefits funded through November, which would cost the department $9.2 billion. Rollins has said the department doesn’t have these funds because of the shutdown.
Trump, asked by reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday about the food stamps program running out of money, said only, “We’re gonna get it done,” but gave no details.
Democrats say not using the contingency money is illegal.
“The contingency funding that we set aside for SNAP is not optional spending. It is required by the law,” Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), the senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, told reporters in the Capitol.
Democrats and Republicans have pushed competing bills to sustain funding for SNAP benefits through November.
Per a monthly average calculated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, SNAP gave benefits to around 41.7 million Americans in fiscal 2024.
Democrats have also been facing intense pressure to end the government shutdown in a way in which they can have a political win. Leaders in the party have said they want Trump to negotiate with them on rising health insurance premiums, but haven’t been vocal about what exactly it would take to garner enough votes to open the government.
The government shutdown also comes after months Democratic backlash to Trump administration policy and frustration from the Democratic base over wanting their leaders to do more to fight against the president.
The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.