Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
MaddowBlog-White House claims about food stamps suffer from a dramatic and consequential flaw
Donald Trump keeps saying he’s “lifted” people off food stamps, but I don’t think that word means what he thinks it means.
Trump keeps saying he’s “lifted†people off food stamps, but I don’t think that word means what he thinks it means.
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-05-26T19:08:14.547Z
There’s a big difference between putting someone on an elevator and kicking them down an elevator shaft.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/white-house-claims-about-food-stamps-suffer-from-a-dramatic-and-consequential-flaw
Donald Trump often struggles to point to specific accomplishments in his second term, but at an event in New York last week, the president repeated a claim that on first blush probably sounded impressive.
“In 16 months, we’ve lifted nearly 5 million Americans off of food stamps,” he said. For emphasis, he repeated, “5 million.”
.....The trouble is, the entire pitch is based on a deception: The Trump administration and congressional Republicans didn’t “lift” struggling Americans off food assistance, so much as they simply stopped providing many of those vulnerable people with aid. Or as Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts explained by way of social media, “Trump and Republicans ripped food assistance away from millions of Americans to pay for giant tax giveaways for billionaires.”
That might sound overly simplistic, but it’s basically a summary of what transpired. As The Associated Press reported last week in a fact-check report on Rollins’ claims:
This was the largest cut to SNAP benefits in American history, according to an analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.....
Trump’s routine use of the word “lift” makes it sound as if struggling families were put onto an elevator that carried them to a stronger and more secure position. That turns reality on its head: Thanks to the inaptly named One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the government hasn’t “lifted” Americans facing food insecurity; it’s simply decided to kick them down the elevator shaft, depriving much of the public of food aid.
Republicans seem to think this is worth bragging about. I have a hunch those struggling to put food on the table have a very different perspective — and they’re probably using words other than “lift.”
“In 16 months, we’ve lifted nearly 5 million Americans off of food stamps,” he said. For emphasis, he repeated, “5 million.”
Trump: "In 6 months, we've lifted nearly 5 million Americans off food stamps"
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-05-22T20:18:16.334Z
.....The trouble is, the entire pitch is based on a deception: The Trump administration and congressional Republicans didn’t “lift” struggling Americans off food assistance, so much as they simply stopped providing many of those vulnerable people with aid. Or as Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts explained by way of social media, “Trump and Republicans ripped food assistance away from millions of Americans to pay for giant tax giveaways for billionaires.”
That might sound overly simplistic, but it’s basically a summary of what transpired. As The Associated Press reported last week in a fact-check report on Rollins’ claims:
SNAP beneficiaries decreased by nearly 4.3 million from January 2025 to January 2026, according to preliminary government data released by the Agriculture Department. However, experts say new requirements mandated by a massive tax and spending cut bill Republicans pushed through Congress last summer are the primary reasons.
The bill is projected to cut $186 billion in federal spending — 20% — from SNAP over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
This was the largest cut to SNAP benefits in American history, according to an analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.....
Trump’s routine use of the word “lift” makes it sound as if struggling families were put onto an elevator that carried them to a stronger and more secure position. That turns reality on its head: Thanks to the inaptly named One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the government hasn’t “lifted” Americans facing food insecurity; it’s simply decided to kick them down the elevator shaft, depriving much of the public of food aid.
Republicans seem to think this is worth bragging about. I have a hunch those struggling to put food on the table have a very different perspective — and they’re probably using words other than “lift.”