The Trump administration has removed 4.3 million Americans from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), attributing the move to a crackdown on fraud and a stronger economy. However, federal data suggests that funding cuts and stricter work requirements were the primary drivers.
Rollins' Claims vs. Data
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated on Fox Business: "As of just a couple of days ago, we now have moved 4.3 million Americans off of the food stamp program. A lot of that is fraud, a lot is people taking the program that shouldn't have been." Yet, data from the Department of Agriculture shows that between January 2025 and January 2026, roughly 4.2 million people stopped receiving SNAP benefits. The most significant decline occurred after July 2025, following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill.
Impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill
This legislation added more restrictions to SNAP, including work requirements for able-bodied adults aged 18-64 without children under 14, requiring 80 hours of work, volunteering, or job training per month. It also cut federal funding by $186 billion over ten years—a 20% reduction—shifting more financial responsibility to states starting in 2027. Additionally, it restricted eligibility for some legal immigrants, including refugees and asylum seekers.
Between August 2025 and January 2026, after the bill's passage, over 3.2 million people lost SNAP benefits, compared to 815,000 in the prior seven months. Experts had warned that these changes would lead to widespread benefit loss.
Fraud Rate and Economic Claims
Rollins also claimed that fraud reduction and a better economy contributed to the decline, noting that wage growth has outpaced inflation for the first time since early 2021. However, the Food and Nutrition Service estimates that fraud accounts for only about 1% of SNAP. A report from The Hamilton Project found that work requirements do not increase employment but rather decrease SNAP participation.
Food bank operators nationwide report increased pressure on their services due to the policy changes. The Independent has requested data from the Food and Nutrition Service to support Rollins' fraud claims.
