In a dramatic late-night move, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower court order that had forced the Trump administration to fully fund SNAP benefits during the ongoing government shutdown. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued the unsigned ruling, siding with the administration’s argument that courts cannot compel the executive branch to spend money not approved by Congress. The order allows only partial payments to continue while a federal appeals court reviews the dispute.

The decision comes after several states, acting on a Rhode Island judge’s earlier injunction, rushed to deliver full food-assistance payments to millions of Americans. Wisconsin, Oregon, and Hawaii had already distributed benefits before the Supreme Court stepped in, prompting sharp criticism from federal officials who warned that emergency funds were being drained. The administration maintains that only Congress can authorize full funding — while states argue that cutting benefits during a record-long shutdown risks hunger for millions. The appeals court is expected to rule within days.