Enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has declined significantly since new federal work requirements took effect in mid-2025, with millions fewer Americans receiving benefits, according to newly reported federal data.
The number of people enrolled in SNAP has fallen by roughly 3.5 million since July 2025, dropping from an average of 42.1 million participants in the prior fiscal year to about 38.5 million as of January 2026, according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal.
The decline follows the implementation of expanded eligibility rules included in the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law by Donald Trump on July 4, 2025.
The legislation broadened existing work requirements for able-bodied adults, mandating that individuals between the ages of 18 and 64 without young dependents participate in at least 80 hours per month of work, volunteering, or government-run programs.
Previously, the requirements applied to a narrower age group and included different criteria for dependents, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP. Officials told The Wall Street Journal that the recent changes represent the most sweeping adjustments to the program in decades.
Under the updated policy, eligibility restrictions have also tightened for some categories of legal immigrants. Federal law has long barred undocumented immigrants from receiving SNAP benefits.
Data compiled by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities shows that nearly every state has experienced a decline since the policy took effect.
Alaska, Hawaii, and Kentucky are exceptions, each reporting modest increases.
Meanwhile, SNAP participation in Guam has risen sharply, while Puerto Rico operates under a separate nutrition assistance program.
Several states, including Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee, have reported double-digit percentage declines. In response, some state officials have begun efforts to connect affected residents with employment and volunteer opportunities to help them meet the new requirements.
Arizona has seen the steepest drop, with participation falling by more than half.
According to state data, more than 424,000 fewer residents are receiving benefits, including approximately 181,000 children. State officials attributed much of the decline to the rapid implementation of the new federal rules.
“The expanded work requirements were primarily responsible for the drop,” Brett Bezio, a spokesman for Arizona’s Department of Economic Security, told The Wall Street Journal.
Tyler Durden Mon, 05/04/2026 - 15:00President Trump has renewed US pressure on some Israeli government decision-makers to grant a pardon to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he's still battling multiple corruption charges, at a moment he has ordered the armed forces to be engaged in several fronts, including in Lebanon.
Trump told the Israeli outlet Kan News on Sunday, "Tell your president to pardon Bibi. He's a wartime prime minister. They wouldn’t have Israel if it wasn’t for me and Bibi in that order. You want to have a PM that can focus on the war, not focus on nonsense."
via ReutersTrump interestingly tried to flip the script with this statement, at a moment some conservative 'influencers' have increasingly attacked the White House for falling too much under Israeli influence.
But the US President is here saying the White House controls the narrative on Israel and its fate, not the other way around. And yet it also clearly affirms the airtight relationship, at a moment US naval forces are bogged down in trying to open back up the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump is directing his request to pardon Netanyahu to the only top official with the power to make it happen - Israel's President Issac Herzog.
"I like the guy, Herzog," Trump said in the fresh remarks. "He will be a national hero if he gives Bibi a pardon. I will very much appreciate it." Trump has also long charged that this is a "witch hunt" by Bibi's enemies.
Netanyahu has long been accused, even within Israel, of seeking to prolong Israel's 'multi-front' wars in order to permanently delay the corruption trial and ensure his time in power is extended.
The trial focuses on three corruption cases - including charges of fraud and breach of trust, as well as charges of bribery.
The allegations range from illegally receiving expensive gifts based on political favors, to quid pro quo agreements with some Israeli media sources for more favorable coverage, to authorizing telecom-related regulatory decisions to benefit friends and allies.
In the meantime, Herzog says he does not plan to make a decision before ongoing negotiations with Netanyahu's legal team have reached conclusion. An October election loss for Netanyahu's Likud party means he could actually face jail time.
//--> //--> //--> Will Benjamin Netanyahu be the next Prime Minister of Israel?However, he's long been called 'Teflon Bibi' for his ability to dodge major political bullets over the years and decades, while staying in power as the country's longest serving prime minister.
Tyler Durden Mon, 05/04/2026 - 14:40