Healey blasts Trump on threat to withhold SNAP funding, won't provide data

Tim Dunn, Boston Herald on Dec 3, 2025

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Gov. Maura Healey is condemning President Donald Trump for threatening to withhold funding for SNAP from 21 blue states, which the White House says refuse to comply with USDA anti-fraud data requirements.

Following an event at the Department of Public Health headquarters in Boston on Wednesday, Healey called the Trump administration’s move “outrageous” and “cruel.”

“It’s outrageous, it’s cruel, it’s appalling. President Trump has already been ordered to provide SNAP benefits. I thought it was kind of unbelievable when I saw it,” said Healey. “What President Trump needs to do immediately is order Secretary Rollins to release SNAP funding and ensure that Americans don’t go hungry.”

The Trump administration says it will withhold SNAP food aid from recipients in most Democratic-controlled states starting next week, citing those states’ refusal to provide USDA FNS (Food and Nutrition Service) required information on recipients – including their immigration status.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins made the announcement during Trump’s cabinet meeting Tuesday, saying the funding cuts will begin next week.

“In February of this year we asked for all of the states for the first time to turn over their data to the federal government, to let the USDA partner with them to root out this fraud to make sure that those who really need food stamps are getting them, but to also ensure the American taxpayer is protected,” Rollins said.

“Twenty-nine states said yes, not surprisingly the red states and that’s where all that data on fraud comes from,” the secretary added. “But, 21 states, including California, New York and Minnesota — the blue states — continue to say no. So, as of next week, we have begun and will begin to stop moving federal funds into those states until they comply.”

Rollins said in November that USDA FNS was working to root out waste, fraud, and abuse, and that a major overhaul of the system may be needed.

But when asked by the Herald why Massachusetts won’t hand over the data requested by Rollins and USDA, Healey pointed to a U.S. District Court preliminary injunction in October temporarily blocking the administration’s efforts to withhold the federal funding.

“The law is clear. The courts have ordered this,” Healey said. “And the idea that he would allow a single secretary to single out certain states in the country and say, ‘We’re not going to follow the law, we’re not going to provide SNAP benefits and we’re not going to feed Americans.’ It’s outrageous. President Trump, today, needs to order Secretary Rollins to provide that funding to feed Americans.”

When asked by the Herald if Massachusetts SNAP recipients are checked on things the USDA is requiring for the funding, like their immigration status, names, dates of birth, home addresses, Social Security numbers and more, Healey said, “Yeah, absolutely and there is just so much misinformation out there. This is all manufactured by the Trump administration.”

The Herald then asked the governor why Massachusetts won’t comply with the federal government’s request for information on recipients.

“Well, first of all, I was Attorney General and waste, fraud and abuse is something that I take very seriously. Second of all, the data is not relevant,” Healey said. “The court has already decided this, so it looks like now they’re going to have to go back to court. But, you know, this is all made up stuff and it’s really unfortunate.”

Last month, the Herald reported on soaring out-of-state SNAP spending by Massachusetts recipients, with spending in states like Illinois and Arkansas seeing 48% and 25% increases in Bay State EBT spending, respectively, over the last two fiscal years.

Out-of-state EBT spending even reached as far away as California and Hawaii. Figures provided by the Department of Transitional Assistance also found over 111,000 new EBT cards were issued in Massachusetts in fiscal year 2025 — a 20% jump since 2021.

Around 42 million low-income Americans rely on SNAP. The Trump administration says it will begin withholding the funds next week.

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