WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court said Friday that the Trump administration does not have to immediately pay SNAP food benefits defunded during the government shutdown, a temporary order that leaves millions in limbo. A lower court this week ruled that President Donald Trump’s government must fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for November by the end of the day Friday.

The federal judge ruled that Trump was choosing to withhold federal food aid due to "political reasons".

The Trump administration asked a federal appeals court for an emergency block on a judge’s order that it pay 42 million Americans full SNAP benefits for November by Friday.