Trump administration can't block SNAP recipients in 5 states from buying soda and candy, judge rules

Key Points:

• A federal judge blocked the Trump administration's attempt to allow states to prohibit SNAP recipients from using benefits to buy soft drinks and candy, ruling that the Agriculture Department lacked authority to impose such restrictions.
• The lawsuit was filed by SNAP recipients in five states, who argued the ban would destabilize food access and harm people with chronic illnesses needing certain foods or drinks for health management.
• Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled that Congress defined what qualifies as "food" under SNAP and did not authorize the agency to exclude certain food types, effectively invalidating the state bans in those five states.
• The ruling challenges the "Make America Healthy Again" initiative backed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, which aimed to prevent taxpayer funds from being used to buy unhealthy foods.
• While the decision currently applies only to five states, it may influence legal challenges in other states with similar SNAP restrictions, as noted by anti-hunger advocacy groups concerned about inconsistent state-level rules.