President Donald Trump’s efforts to encourage those on food stamps to return to the workforce appear to be progressing quicker than anticipated.
Following the changes introduced by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program dropped by 13% over the past year. As of May, 36.6 million individuals were receiving food stamps, a decrease from 42.2 million the previous May.
This current figure is notably less than last year’s, which was twice the number of two decades ago. Now, enrollment is back to pre-COVID figures, a recovery the Congressional Budget Office had estimated would not occur until 2030.
Of course, some groups are quite alarmed by this. They would prefer to keep everyone reliant on SNAP.
Research indicates these types of benefits can actually deter people from seeking employment; after all, why work for food money when the government will provide it?
This is exactly why SNAP has historically required able-bodied individuals to engage in work, training, or volunteering, at least on a part-time basis, to qualify for assistance.
The 2025 OBBBA made some adjustments to these requirements, raising the upper age limit for those needing to meet them from 55 to 64, and including parents with children aged 14 and up (instead of 18), along with able-bodied homeless adults.
It’s somewhat unclear how much of the drop in recipients—about 5.6 million—is due to people finding employment, thus exceeding the income limit for food stamps, versus others losing eligibility for failing to meet the updated requirements or other factors.
However, there is substantial evidence that time limits and stipulations enacted by President Bill Clinton’s welfare reforms in 1996 led to significant employment increases, particularly among single, low-income mothers, and resulted in a decrease in poverty rates.
So, it’s reasonable to think that a considerable portion of this decline is linked to more individuals earning enough to afford their own food.
Ultimately, it’s fair for American taxpayers to expect that adults who are capable of work, training, or education put in at least part-time effort if they wish to receive government assistance.
As Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.) pointed out last year, SNAP should serve as a “bridge to independence, not a long-term way of life.”
Even then-Senator Joe Biden emphasized during the 1996 welfare reform debates that “the culture of welfare must be replaced by the culture of work.”
Additionally, another modification made by the Trump administration regarding SNAP is showing promising outcomes: reducing sugar consumption among recipients.
This adjustment allows states to prohibit food stamps from being used to purchase candy, soda, and similar sugary drinks, and a recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research indicated that soda sales decreased by 12% among SNAP recipients in states that enforced this ban.
It’s truly impressive: The Trump SNAP reforms are achieving their intended goals, encouraging Americans to pursue more productive, independent, and healthier lifestyles.
