Additional Coverage:
- Trump’s official campaign account ‘celebrates’ 5 million Americans losing SNAP benefits (themirror.com)
The White House recently shared a meme highlighting that “5 million” people have lost their SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, sparking swift backlash. The meme features a still of Christian Bale from the film American Psycho, with a MAGA hat digitally added, alongside a quote from a headline stating, “5 million people have lost SNAP benefits since the One Big Beautiful Bill passed.”
Recent reports estimate that between 3.5 million and 5 million Americans have been removed from SNAP rolls following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This legislation included an extension of work requirements-initially expanded during the Trump administration-for recipients aged 54 to 64. Individuals who do not meet these work-hour mandates risk losing benefits.
Social media users criticized the meme and the policy it references. One commentator noted the harsh reality: “Likely taking food away from the mouths of babes in needy households.”
Another remarked on the meme’s imagery: “Identifying with the American Psycho-a bit on the nose, don’t you think?” Others highlighted the geographic impact, pointing out that most benefit cuts have occurred in rural, predominantly red states.
An analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) estimates that SNAP participation nationwide dropped by approximately 5 million people, or 12 percent, between the law’s enactment in July 2025 and May 2026. This assessment draws on the latest U.S.
Department of Agriculture data and information obtained through an open records request from Georgia’s Department of Human Services. Earlier reporting in July had also noted a reduction of about 3.5 million participants.
ProPublica reported that children are among those most affected, often losing SNAP benefits as “collateral damage” due to the expanded work requirements targeting parents. Although children were not the direct focus of the policy changes, many families have been impacted because some adults fail to meet the new criteria.
CBPP’s data from 25 states reveals that around 1.2 million fewer children received food stamps since July 2025. Children account for nearly half of the roughly 2.8 million people who have lost SNAP benefits in those states.
Besides stricter work requirements, states have introduced more complex eligibility checks and monthly work verifications. Many families are losing access not because they no longer qualify, but because they miss paperwork deadlines or struggle with the increased administrative burden.
The law also shifted more of SNAP’s administrative costs onto state governments. Beginning October 1, states are responsible for 75 percent of these costs, a percentage that will rise over the coming years. In response, some states have tightened eligibility rules and limited enrollment to contain expenses.
USDA data from July 2025 through May 2026 shows SNAP participation declined in every state except Alaska, with decreases of 5 percent or more in 46 states and 10 percent or more in 23 states. This sharp drop mirrors the last significant reduction nearly 30 years ago, following major SNAP cuts enacted by Congress in 1996, when participation fell by 12 percent over a ten-month period.