SNAP enrollment falls by 4.2 million in Trump's first year (April 25, 2026 )
April 25, 2026 — Preliminary USDA data shows that the number of Americans receiving SNAP benefits dropped from 42.8 million in January 2025 to under 38.6 million in January 2026 — a decline of approximately 4.2 million people in the first year of the Trump administration, largely driven by the One Big Beautiful Bill's eligibility and work requirement changes.
The steepest part of the decline came after August 2025, following passage of the OBBBA in July. The single largest monthly drop — more than 1 million recipients — occurred between October and November 2025, coinciding exactly with the November 1 USDA deadline for states to implement the new OBBBA rules. Adults previously exempt from work requirements, particularly those ages 55 to 64, were among those most affected.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities had warned that most people losing SNAP under expanded work requirements lose their food assistance without any corresponding improvement in employment or income. Anti-hunger organizations reported sharply increased demand they lack the capacity to meet. With approximately 6 billion fewer annual meals expected to be provided through SNAP under the law's provisions, food banks have been explicit that the charitable sector cannot substitute for the federal program.
| https://www.newsweek.com/4-million-fewer-snap-benefits-trump-rule-changes-11881316 |