Nearly 4.3 million Americans lost SNAP benefits last year

New SNAP rules in effect, how to plan for changes

LiveNOW’s Mike Pache spoke with Darren Botelho from FOX Business Network (FBN) who has all the latest updates on SNAP from Capitol Hill. (December 2025)

Nearly 4.3 million Americans stopped receiving SNAP benefits from January 2025 through January 2026, largely because of new requirements put in place by Republicans when they passed the massive tax cut bill last year, experts say. 

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, has seen a 10% decrease in the number of participants since President Donald Trump took office for a second term. 

The Trump administration attributes the big drop to a strong economy and weeding out fraud, but those who study food insecurity say it’s because the program is harder to access. 

‘People don’t need food stamps’

What they're saying:

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins this week said a large reason for the dip is because of fraud. 

"A lot of it is people taking the program that shouldn’t have been," she said. 

RELATED: SNAP: See the overpayment and underpayment rates for benefits in every state

She also said because the economy is strong, "people don’t need food stamps." 

Nearly 4.3 million Americans have lost their food stamp benefits since President Trump took office for a second term. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

The other side:

Caitlin Caspi, an associate professor at the University of Connecticut who studies food insecurity, told The Associated Press there’s no evidence to back up Rollins’ claims. 

By the numbers:

In 2023, the latest data available, 41,476 people were removed from the SNAP program for fraud. That includes people who erroneously reported information during the application process and people who exchanged benefits for cash or other noneligible items. 

That’s less than 1% of the 42 million participants. 

In January 2025, when Trump was sworn in again, there were approximately 42.83 million SNAP participants. That number dropped to roughly 38.55 million in January 2026, with most of the decline happening in the second half of the year – after Trump signed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." 

Dig deeper:

Experts agree that the economy is strong, but food costs are rising. They were up 3.1% in 2025 and are expected to increase 2.9% in 2026. Even if food costs weren’t up, a strong economy doesn’t make a difference for SNAP participants who face financial hardship. 

"We have a persistent poverty problem in this country," said Kate Bauer, an associate professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Michigan. "And we have huge economic disparities. And most people, even in good economic times, are not able to pull their families out of poverty."

SNAP changes under ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’

The backstory:

The 940-page "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" made significant changes to SNAP eligibility.  

Previously, work requirements were applied to adults ages 18-54 who are physically and mentally able to work and don’t have dependents under age 18. The new law expands those requirements to those ages 55-64 and to parents without children younger than 14.

It also takes away work exemptions for homeless people, veterans and young adults aging out of foster care. And it limits the ability of states to waive work requirements in areas lacking jobs.

The bill is projected to cut $186 billion in federal spending — 20% — from SNAP over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.