In Bossier City, Louisiana, Liz Hill has been struggling to stretch her food stamp benefits to care for her elderly, disabled brother as the shutdown enters its second month, threatening the continuation of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). She drives two hours to find cheaper stores, clutching discount coupons, and often visits local food banks — something she never imagined she would have to do.
Hill blames the political gridlock in Washington for the crisis but excludes President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, who represents her district.
“I like Trump and Johnson. I think they have good ideas. But this whole shutdown fight is ridiculous,” she said.
Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District has one of the highest SNAP usage rates in the country — nearly 20% of households depend on food assistance. Yet, like Hill, many beneficiaries do not hold Trump or Johnson responsible.
In strongholds of the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement, loyalty to Trump and the Republican Party has remained unshaken through scandals, impeachments, and even criminal trials. Now, many of his supporters continue to defend him despite the hardships caused by the shutdown.
Mary Little, an 80-year-old retired nurse, proudly supports Trump and Johnson but feels frustrated with other Washington politicians.
“Some of them have never been hungry, never used food stamps, never been to a food bank. Their people are starving — there’s nothing worse than that,” she said.
The shutdown has affected low-income Americans across both Republican and Democratic states. According to The Washington Post, 53% of SNAP recipients live in Democratic-leaning areas, while 47% reside in Republican strongholds. Nearly half of SNAP households in Louisiana’s 4th District include children, and about 46% have at least one person with a disability.
Speaker Johnson emphasized that Republicans have voted 15 times to fund food assistance but accused Democrats of refusing to negotiate. Democrats, however, insist that Republicans must agree to extend Obamacare subsidies — a key demand tied to reopening the government. The lack of agreement between the two parties has left the SNAP program in limbo.
The crisis escalated after the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it could not release funds during the shutdown. Following a lawsuit, a federal judge ordered the government to restore full funding, a decision later upheld by an appeals court — prompting the White House to appeal to the Supreme Court.
As the legal battle continues, many SNAP beneficiaries have received only partial payments, while others have yet to receive any assistance.
Although Mary Little does not blame Trump, she worries about future disruptions. Comparing the situation to an approaching storm, she said she has been stockpiling food and cutting expenses to prepare for possible delays.
“I know she slipped me a little extra,” Little said softly, referring to the seasoned pork she found in a donated food bag from church volunteers in Bossier City.
Despite the uncertainty, many Americans remain unwavering in their loyalty — determined to defend President Trump even as the nation faces growing economic hardship.