The recent U.S. government shutdown has left many families struggling with reduced SNAP food benefits just before Thanksgiving, exacerbating holiday hardships amid inflation and job losses. In Kentucky's Martin County, where 91 percent of voters backed Donald Trump in 2024, residents express growing disillusionment with his policies. Political figures like Senator Patty Murray have blamed Trump, sparking online critiques.
The longest government shutdown in U.S. history, which ended in November 2025, severely disrupted the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), affecting millions as Thanksgiving approached. In Martin County, Kentucky, where 23 percent of residents—or about 1,300 households—rely on SNAP, families received partial benefits on November 6, according to the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy. Jason Bailey, the center's director, described Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear's $5 million allocation to food banks as a mere "stopgap," noting the state's monthly SNAP funding is around $105 million. Bailey warned that Trump's "One Big, Beautiful Bill," passed earlier, will expand work requirements starting early 2026, potentially jeopardizing benefits for 114,000 Kentuckians, including 50,000 aged 54 to 65 and caregivers of children over 14. This could create a $188 million annual shortfall for the state.
Local impacts were stark. At Warfield Market, sales dropped from $15,000 to $7,000 per day during the shutdown, said assistant manager Ron Jones. Thomas Howell, a 25-year-old earning $8 an hour, relies on $110 monthly in SNAP and expressed disappointment: "I’m truly disappointed in the minimal effort Trump’s been giving us poor people." Howell, who voted for Trump in 2020 and 2024, now sees empty promises, especially after the shutdown's blame-shifting. Trump's net approval in Kentucky stands at 0.2 percent, per recent projections.
Nationally, similar struggles emerged. In Massachusetts, Steve Posey and his wife turned to Instacart gigs amid rising costs, relying on food pantries for Thanksgiving turkey. New York City's Rosetta Savannah received half her usual SNAP and opted for chicken over turkey. In Pennsylvania, Bonnie Green, whose federal job was cut by the Department of Government Efficiency, halved her income and simplified her holiday menu to chicken soup.
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) posted a video on November 24 blaming Trump for fighting to the Supreme Court to deny SNAP benefits and enacting the largest cuts in history, calling it "fundamentally immoral." Filmmaker Justine Bateman critiqued the video's production, noting the actress seemed "under-rehearsed" and the setting distracting, resembling a bathroom stall.
