NC Attorney General thinking about additional action as Trump threatens not release SNAP funds

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Tuesday marks day 35 of the government shutdown, tied for the longest in U.S. history. On Monday, President Trump said his administration would partially fund SNAP after a pair of judges' rulings required it to keep the program running.

But on Tuesday, the President took to Truth Social, threatening not to release any money for SNAP until the government reopens.

One of the court rulings requiring the Trump administration to use emergency funds to pay for SNAP benefits came in response to a lawsuit filed by North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and other Democratic Attorneys General, accusing the Department of Agriculture of breaking the law by withholding funds.

On Tuesday, Jackson told ABC11 that all North Carolinians should try and support food pantries however they can, while the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina said they're here to help.

"Whether you live here in Raleigh, you live in Durham, you live out along the coast, we have resources for you," said Jason Kanawati Stephany, vice president of the food bank.

For the roughly 1.4 million North Carolinians participating in SNAP, Stephany says the uncertainty surrounding the program's payouts this month has real impacts on the dinner table.

"These SNAP dollars help people to afford the things that are the healthiest products out there, but are also the most expensive," he said. "You're talking about fresh fruits, vegetables, protein meat, dairy products, the things that you want kids and seniors to have access to. And they won't if they don't have access to these resources."

Before Trump's social media post Tuesday appearing to walk back his administration's promise to fund SNAP, ABC11 asked the NC Attorney General if his office was considering further action to pressure the White House to make payments. President Trump had previously declined to use a separate reserve of emergency funds at the Department of Agriculture to fully fund SNAP.

"We're taking a look at that. We're evaluating all the options and we'll see what happens," Jackson said.

The Trump administration has said it could take as long as several months to use emergency funds to make any payments to SNAP, if they're made at all. With benefit cuts still on the table for many, Jackson urged all North Carolinians to chip in however they can.

"Folks are going to have more than nothing but they're not going to have enough, which is why we have to do everything we can to encourage people: support your local food pantry. It is more important this month than it has ever been," Jackson said.

As the shutdown approaches record length, political experts say the enormous impact of SNAP in red and blue areas has made it a tricky issue for the White House.

"Now I think they may feel like we're on a little safer ground in negotiations and say, well, it's the Democrats fault because we've used the contingency fund, we've done what we can," said Duke Professor Mac McCorkle, after the announcement Monday that the White House would use emergency funds.

McCorkle said Tuesday's elections could have an impact on the shutdown as well. If Democrats were to win prominent races, he believes it could move Republicans to agree to negotiate issues like healthcare subsidies in exchange for a "yes" vote to reopen the government from Democrats on the fence.

"The eight or so moderates who may come on over and help pass the clean resolution, they might get enough of an assurance," he said.