5 Million Kicked Off Food Stamps Under Trump as Food Banks Report Soaring Need

The number of Americans receiving food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has fallen by more than five million over the past year, following restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”

SNAP enrollment dropped from 41.6 million in July 2025 to 36 million this July, according to new data from the Department of Agriculture.

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The changes affect a decades-old program that helps low-income households buy groceries, including families with children, older adults and people with disabilities. Nearly three-quarters of 48 of the largest food banks saw an increase in demand over the past year, according to an NBC News analysis.

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The share of people that lost SNAP benefits varied widely based on the state. In Arizona, for instance, the number of enrollees fell from about 882,000 to roughly 433,000, marking a 50 percent reduction. In Florida, it fell from 2.8 million to 2.2 million — a 22 percent decline. In Alaska, it only fell 3.5 percent.

The 2025 law expanded existing work requirements to cover adults ages 18 to 64, up from 18 to 54, and adults whose households include children ages 14 to 17 but no younger children.

Unless they qualify for an exemption, those recipients must work or participate in qualifying activities, such as approved volunteer work or training, for at least 80 hours a month to receive benefits.

The law also scrapped automatic exemptions for veterans and people who are homelessness.

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