Gavin Newsom called out President Donald Trump’s agriculture secretary over one of the consequences of the government shutdown: having to reapply for SNAP benefits.
Brooke Rollins “accidentally told the truth” during a NewsNation interview Wednesday, the California governor’s press office posted on X in response to a clip of the USDA chief being asked about the new requirement to reapply.
Rollins, 53, claimed that she had been looking at some pre-shutdown data that was “staggering.”
“A hundred and eighty-six thousand dead people receiving benefits; 500,000 Americans receiving benefits two times, so double what they should be receiving. We’ve arrested more than 120 people for SNAP fraud,” she claimed. “And that’s just from the states that sent their data in. That doesn’t include most of the blue states where we believe there’s even more fraud and abuse.”
“Under the last administration, the SNAP benefits increased 40 percent,” she continued. “Clearly there’s a rightsizing that needs to happen. I think the unintended consequence of the Democrat shutdown is now the spotlight has been shined on and we have to make sure for those that really need this benefit that we’re able to make sure it’s going to the right people.”
Rollins then said she would be making an announcement about changes to SNAP the week after Thanksgiving.
Newsom, 58, wasn’t buying it.
“Brooke Rollins accidentally told the truth: the Trump admin saw the shutdown as a way to take away SNAP benefits. Sick!” his office wrote.
During the shutdown, the Trump administration chose to withhold partial funds for SNAP, which ran out of money on Nov. 1.
The shutdown, which ended up being the longest in history, ended last week.
Rollins said in an interview with Newsmax shortly afterward that she plans to “have everyone reapply for their benefits, make sure that everyone that’s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through... food stamps, that they literally are vulnerable and they can’t survive without it.”
A USDA spokesperson said in a statement, “Secretary Rollins wants to ensure the fraud, waste, and incessant abuse of SNAP ends.”
“Rates of fraud were only previously assumed, and President Trump is doing something about it. Using standard recertification processes for households is a part of that work. As well as ongoing analysis of state data, further regulatory work, and improved collaboration with states.”
