More Than 770,000 Children Are No Longer Receiving SNAP Benefits After Trump Changes Federal Food Program

ProPublica reports that approximately 776,000 children have lost SNAP benefits following Trump administration changes to the food assistance program, contradicting pre-passage assurances from Republican lawmakers that vulnerable populations including children would be protected. The article is well-sourced with specific data (ProPublica's independent analysis of 12 states showing 46% of those removed were children; corroboration from the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities finding 700,000 fewer children receiving aid), named experts from academic institutions, and on-the-record statements from government officials and affected families, though key Republican representatives declined comment. The reporting is strengthened by independent verification from multiple outlets and policy organizations cited in the search results, which confirm both the scale of SNAP losses (3.5 million total participants) and disputes over causation—the USDA Secretary claims removals were primarily "fraudulent," while ProPublica verified the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities data and experts attribute losses to administrative burdens and state staffing shortages. Watch for October 2026 when states begin covering 75% of administrative costs (up from 50%) and October 2027 when states assume larger shares of benefits based on error rates—measures likely to intensify pressure on already-strained state agencies and potentially accelerate further enrollment declines.