Trump's Cruel Appetite: Slashing Food Programs and Hurting Our Kids

May 7
2 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

By: Cassandra Williamson, a veteran of the US Navy, US Marine Corps, who has 4 children and 8 grandchildren.

7 May 2025, Wednesday

Imagine children going to school hungry, their ability to learn and thrive diminished before the day even begins. This isn't a hypothetical scenario; it's a potential reality as the current Trump administration once again sets its sights on cutting vital federal food assistance programs. These programs, including SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), school meals, and WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children), are crucial lifelines for millions of families and their children across the nation.

True to form, the administration's proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026 reveals a familiar pattern: deep cuts to non-defense discretionary spending, with significant implications for programs that support our most vulnerable populations.1 While the "skinny budget" released offers limited details, the overarching goal of reducing domestic spending by a staggering $163 billion signals potential devastation for food assistance initiatives.11

This isn't just about numbers on a spreadsheet; it's about the real-life consequences for children. Cuts to SNAP could lead to reduced benefits, making it harder for families to put food on the table.3 Proposals to "streamline" K-12 education funding by billions of dollars raise serious concerns about the future of school meal programs that ensure many children receive their most nutritious meals of the day.4 Even the potential restructuring of HHS and its focus on eliminating programs deemed "unnecessary" or promoting "radical ideologies" could indirectly impact the delivery of essential nutritional support to families.62

The administration's rhetoric often frames these cuts as necessary for fiscal responsibility, but the reality is that they disproportionately harm children and low-income families.8 Slashing funds for programs designed to combat hunger and food insecurity undermines the health, development, and future of our children.3

Our in-depth report, "Efforts by the Trump Administration to Cut Funding for Food Programs and Impacts on Children," available on our "Research & In-depth Analyses" page, provides a comprehensive breakdown of these proposed cuts and their potential devastating effects. It's time to look beyond the rhetoric and understand the true cost of these policies on the well-being of our nation's children. We urge you to read the full report and join the growing chorus of voices demanding that our leaders prioritize the needs of our kids over harmful budget cuts.

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Click on the button to go to the "Research & In-depth Analyses" page.----------------------