First Lady Melania Trump was called out after she, via her official X account, shared an image of the White House's pumpkin-heavy 2025 Halloween decorations—at a time when 40 million Americans are about to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program benefits.
Senate Republicans plan to block a Democratic proposal aimed at keeping federal food assistance flowing to Americans amid the ongoing government shutdown. The measure, introduced by Senator Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico, would extend funding for the SNAP and WIC program beyond November 1.
However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune denounced the bill as a “cynical attempt to buy political cover for Democrats to allow them to carry on their government shutdown even longer.”
Because Democrats intend to advance the measure through unanimous consent, a single Republican objection would be enough to block it. The Trump administration has said President Donald Trump will not reallocate funds, and SNAP benefits are poised to lapse for the first time in modern history.
All of this is taking place against the backdrop of Trump's recent order to demolish the entire East Wing to make way for a 90,000 square-foot ballroom that will dwarf the size of the White House itself, sparking alarm from historical preservationists and the public alike.
Despite the gravity of this situation, the First Lady posted a photo of the White House's Halloween decorations—pumpkins galore!—with no sense of the tone-deafness of this decision. The caption announced that the White House "is getting ready for Halloween."
You can see the photo below.
@FirstLadyOffice/X
Mrs. Trump's display sparked anger online.
Democrats contend that the Trump administration has the legal authority to draw from a $5 billion contingency fund or other USDA accounts to keep SNAP benefits flowing during the shutdown. Dozens of Democratic governors and attorneys general have filed lawsuits challenging the administration's decision not to release the funds.
Additionally, many of the attorneys general participating in the lawsuit sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Friday, requesting a legal justification for the SNAP delays and urging the department to explore intervention options before the program comes to a halt.
