On this edition of Your Call, we discuss the Trump administration’s historic cuts to SNAP in last year's reconciliation bill. Between the enactment of the law in July 2025 and April 2026, SNAP participation fell by over 4.5 million people, including an estimated 1.5 million children, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Republican law will cut SNAP by nearly $187 billion through 2034, the largest cut to the program in history. Significant new costs will now be pushed to states.
With some of the strictest policy changes still on the horizon, we explore how advocates are responding and what the future of SNAP holds for the millions who rely on it.
Guests:
Christopher Bosso, emeritus professor of public policy and politics at Northeastern University, and author of several books, including Why SNAP Works: A Political History -- and Defense -- of the Food Stamp Program
Tashara M. Leak, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Cornell University
Resources:
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: SNAP Tracker – People Are Losing Food Assistance as the Harmful 2025 Republican Reconciliation Law Is Implemented
The Washington Post: Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill has cut food assistance for millions of Americans
The New York Times: Faced With Piles of New Paperwork, People Are Losing Food Stamps
The Guardian: More than 1 million children lost access to food benefits after Trump bill passed
ProPublica: More Than 770,000 Children Are No Longer Receiving SNAP Benefits After Trump Changes Federal Food Program
NPR: The White House pushes healthy eating. It cut a landmark nutrition education program
The Washington Post: More Americans are buying groceries on credit. Here’s why that’s a problem.
