The move is the Trump administration's latest chaotic attempt to withhold SNAP benefits from 42 million Americans during the ongoing government shutdown.

The plight of 42 million food-stamp recipients is the federal-government shutdown’s most inflammatory issue. Federal judges ordered the Trump administration to pay food-stamp benefits regardless.

The action comes two days after states sued the federal agency that administers SNAP benefits. Funds were set to stop flowing Saturday.

In a brief order, the U.S. Supreme Court acceded to a request by the Trump administration to at least temporarily block enforcement of an order by a lower court judge to fund the full November allotment for each of the 42 million Americans who qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended a short-term order allowing the Trump administration to continue withholding full food stamp payments for November, a move aimed at buying time as Congress works toward reopening the federal government.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins warns over 40 million Americans could lose SNAP food stamp benefits November 1 due to ongoing government shutdown funding crisis.

The government “shutdown” and the so-called threat to the food stamp program may be abated for now, but we need to understand why this program has metastasized