The head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the Trump administration plans to have all recipients of SNAP benefits reapply, following an investigation into alleged fraud in several Republican-led states. Officials said the probe identified approximately 186,000 cases of fraud.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins claimed that fraudulent activity was widespread in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), stating that “186,000 deceased men, women, and children in this country are receiving a check” in 29 red states.
“Can you imagine what we’ll find when we examine the blue state data?” Rollins asked during an appearance on Newsmax’s Rob Schmitt Tonight. She added that the reapplication process would provide a “platform and trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program,” ensuring that SNAP benefits are reaching those who truly need them.
The USDA has not yet outlined when or how the reapplication process will occur.
A USDA spokesperson said, “Secretary Rollins wants to ensure that fraud, waste, and abuse of SNAP ends. Rates of fraud were previously only estimated, and President Trump is taking action to address the issue. Standard recertification processes for households, ongoing data analysis, regulatory updates, and improved collaboration with states are all part of that effort.”
State SNAP programs already require recipients to recertify their eligibility, often every six months, with updates to income and personal information.
Despite these existing measures, Rollins described the program as “corrupt” and noted that 120 individuals were recently arrested in connection with SNAP fraud, referencing a case in Ohio. The investigation followed 11 months of work examining 17,000 illegal transactions.
“These are findings that, for years, were largely unchecked because federal systems weren’t in place,” Rollins said. “The president has made this a priority. We will fix this program.”
The announcement comes after disruptions to SNAP benefits earlier this month, when the administration temporarily ordered states not to make full food stamp payments amid the end of the government shutdown. SNAP serves nearly 42 million Americans, with benefits costing roughly $100 billion in 2024.
Rollins assured recipients that full SNAP benefits are expected to be restored by Monday.