While the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is finally coming to an end after the Senate voted 60-40 on a deal that now heads to a vote by the House of Representatives, its damage will not disappear overnight. Beyond the numbers, delays, and political theater, this shutdown felt different. It felt mean.
In every previous government shutdown, including the two that occurred during Donald Trump’s first term, the federal government continued to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for the millions of Americans who rely on it to eat. This time was different. For the first time in modern history, the Trump administration chose not to fund SNAP during a shutdown, leaving state and local governments scrambling to fill the gaps and families uncertain of how they would put food on the table.
Unfortunately, it didn’t stop there. In a seemingly vindictive move, the administration ignored a federal judge’s ruling ordering the government to continue funding SNAP. The Trump administration undercut that order after first promising partial payments to the 42 million Americans who receive SNAP benefits, then telling states to halt or even reverse benefits that they had already issued. When states tried to comply with the court’s ruling and continue feeding their people, the administration appealed the decision, ran to the Supreme Court for a temporary stay, and threatened states with financial penalties if they continued distributing full benefits. In less than two weeks, tens of millions of Americans went from being promised food assistance to being told, “You’re on your own.”
This isn’t about policy disagreements. It’s about cruelty, abuse of power, and punishment to those who disagree with the administration.
Meanwhile, as 1.25 million federal workers haven’t received a paycheck in over a month and families are trying to stretch their benefits from last month, President Trump has been hosting lavish parties at Mar-a-Lago, greenlighting renovations to the White House, and golfing over the last two weekends. The contrast between the pure indulgence and overt cruelty of this president and the suffering of the Americans he was elected to serve is nothing short of disgusting.
And now, with the government reopening soon, the outcome feels hollow. The Senate deal will only fund parts of the government through January 2026. It will leave roughly 24 million Americans without access to healthcare due to exclusions for Affordable Care Act subsidies in the bill. Eight democratic senators broke ranks to vote yes, ignoring thousands of their constituents’ concerns about the attack on healthcare. Even Virginia’s own Senator Tim Kaine was one of the eight senators who decided that trading Virginians’ health was worth it for political convenience.
So yes, the government will likely reopen soon, but at what cost? People will still go hungry, millions could lose healthcare, and the most powerful people in Washington will go back to their offices and salaries, leaving the American people to pick up the pieces.
Shutdowns are always harmful, but this one has been intentionally hurtful.
The Trump administration hasn’t just closed offices or delayed paychecks; it has used hunger and fear as weapons and has turned government services into political hostages. SNAP recipients, federal workers, and families who depend on public programs have been treated like pawns in a game of chess they didn’t know they were playing.
Food insecurity doesn’t just affect progressives or conservatives; it is a human issue. Every single one of us is infinitely closer to being a SNAP recipient than we are to being Donald Trump or Elon Musk.
The American people will not forget how quickly our government turned on us and how easily our lives became bargaining chips. We will not forget who chose to play games with our lives.
For local resources for food and clothing assistance, visit Lynchburg Food Assistance Resources