SNAP funding may run out Nov 1 without aid, Walmart denies closures

As a partial government shutdown stretches into late October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture warned that federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could be exhausted on November 1, prompting viral social media claims that Walmart would close its stores nationwide that day. Walmart has denied those reports, saying it has no plans to shut stores and will continue normal operations.

The USDA said contingency funds designated for emergencies are nearly depleted and that without congressional action regular SNAP payments could stop beginning November 1. The department has emphasized that contingency funds are not available to cover regular annual benefits and are reserved for true contingencies such as disaster relief. SNAP provides roughly $100 billion a year in food assistance, about $8.3 billion per month, and serves nearly 42 million people, according to the department.

Online posts amplified uncertainty about how retailers would respond if SNAP distributions pause. Several widely viewed TikTok videos presented the claim that Walmart would lock doors or move to online and pickup-only service starting November 1. Those posts included at least one video...