Hassett says Democrats have ‘no plan’ as SNAP benefits for 42M Americans hang in balance during shutdown

White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett lent his support to President Donald Trump, calling for Republicans to end the filibuster to bring the government shutdown to an end in an interview Friday on “The Story.” 

“Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!” the president wrote on Truth Social, saying Republicans should use what he referred to as the “nuclear option.”

The “nuclear option” would remove a 60-vote threshold, leading Republicans to only require a simple majority to pass their federal funding bill. 

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Hassett agreed that the filibuster should be “on the table” because the Democrats might “try to keep the government shut down forever as far as we know.” 

Both House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., have expressed hesitation about getting rid of the filibuster and its 60-vote threshold.

Hassett also theorized that Democratic politicians are trying to “stop the president’s momentum” after a “historic” trip to Asia, lauding a soybean deal reached with China’s President Xi Jinping. 

“We’re not going to let them keep the government shut forever,” Hassett said. “We’re not going to let them starve the American people.” 

Hassett stressed the importance of bringing the shutdown to an end before the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which delivers relief to around 42 million Americans who rely on the aid, will see benefits expire Nov. 1. An expiration of SNAP would be the first time in 60 years the program has halted due to a government shutdown.

“We’re about to use emergency funds from the Department of Agriculture,” Hassett said, referring to ways to fund the program. 

This comes after court orders to tap into emergency funds from two federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ahead of the Nov. 1 expiration of benefits. 

Hassett criticized what he called a “liberal judge ruling,” saying that tapping emergency funds would make the government vulnerable in a future hurricane or food emergency. 

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., criticized Trump for “using hunger as a political weapon,” referring to SNAP. 

“What really surprises me is the level of cruelty that is marking Republican leadership right now,” Booker said. 

Hassett reacted by saying Democrats need to do their “constitutional duty” and reopen the government. 

“The Democrats don’t really have a plan,” he said. “We don’t really understand what they’re doing anymore.”