California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced $80m in state funding and the deployment of the California National Guard to assist food banks, as the ongoing US government shutdown threatens to delay federal food benefits. The shutdown, which began on 1 October, is one of the longest in US history with no end in sight.
Newsom criticised President Donald Trump for 'endangering people's lives' as the closure impacts the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap), which serves 41.7 million Americans. The governor warned that benefits could be delayed just as families prepare for the holiday season, compounding strain from previous cuts under Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Republicans, who control the White House and both chambers of Congress, blame the shutdown on congressional Democrats. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins posted on X that 'because of the Democrat shutdown, there are not enough funds to provide Snap for 40 million Americans come November 1'. Democratic governors across the country hold the Trump administration responsible.
Newsom's office stated that 5.5 million Californians rely on Snap, with 63 per cent of beneficiaries being children or elderly people. The shutdown also halts funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, leaving many low-income families facing a colder winter without support.
While funding for Snap and heating aid remains uncertain, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that 70,000 agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, will be paid through the shutdown. The Snap website displays a banner blaming the 'Radical Left Democrat shutdown' for the lack of updates.
