MARYLAND (WBFF) — The battle over federal food assistance intensified this week. The Trump administration is now threatening to cut off SNAP funding to state’s refusing to turn over data detailing who is receiving what benefits.
In response, Maryland has joined a multistate lawsuit to block the demand, with Gov. Wes Moore calling the ultimatum “reckless” and “cruel.”
On Friday, his office sent FOX45 News the following statement on the issue:
The Trump Administration’s latest threat to withhold food assistance from states is as reckless as it is cruel. Once again, they are targeting the most vulnerable to score political points while they cut deals for his cronies and slash taxes for his billionaire friends. Maryland will use every tool available to us — including legal action — to stop this administration from trying to starve families who rely on SNAP to survive.”
Weighing in, taxpayer advocate David Williams argued the governor’s stance ignores a bigger issue. According to Williams, Maryland’s own mismanagement — not federal politics — is putting food assistance funding at risk.
“What’s cruel and what’s reckless is what the state is doing with taxpayer dollars,” Williams said. “The federal government should absolutely be asking for this information because, first of all, it’s a lot of money, and secondly, this is the fault of the state.”
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The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said the data is needed to weed out ongoing waste. Based on limited records received from 28 states, the USDA said it’s uncovered 186,000 deceased individuals on food stamps and roughly 500,000 receiving their benefits more than once.
Additionally, at the start of 2027, new financial penalties will be put in place for state’s with high SNAP payment error rates. Meaning, cases where SNAP benefits were over- or under-paid due to administrative mistakes. Given Maryland’s 14% error rate — one of the highest in the country — the state stands to lose $240 million dollars in federal funding.
“And they know that they have to fix this problem, and if the federal government can help, they (it) should welcome that help with open arms,” Williams said. “Hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars are on the hook, and Governor Moore is not in a position to be spending more taxpayer dollars on anything. The state is facing a $1.4 billion deficit next year and a $3 billion deficit in coming years.”
For now, a federal judge has barred the Trump administration from cutting off SNAP funding, as the legal challenge continues to play out in court.
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