The Trump administration faces mounting criticism over food-aid cuts, travel disruptions, and new voting restrictions in Texas.
Trump’s 42nd week brought updates to the ongoing government shutdown, airports, and the Pentagon. Following a previous report from The Introspective detailing how two federal judges ruled that the Trump administration must continue paying Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—the formal name for food stamps—benefits, Trump announced that payments would resume at half the normal amount. He later threatened to defy the court order by saying benefits would only be restored once the shutdown ends, raising concerns as the ongoing shutdown is now the longest in history.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration announced that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will discontinue IRS Direct File, a system that allows taxpayers to file returns for free.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy later said that the Department of Transportation (DOT) would have to close “certain parts of the airspace” if the shutdown continues into next week. At the same time, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that 10% of air traffic at major airports will be reduced.
As anti-immigrant sentiment continues, Texas passed a constitutional amendment requiring U.S. citizenship to vote in federal elections—despite state law already prohibiting noncitizens from voting. Meanwhile, following previous reports from The Introspective detailing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth placing restrictions on reporters covering the Department of Defense (DOD) and walking out of a Pentagon press conference, far-right activist Laura Loomer has joined the Pentagon press corps.
SNAP Benefits and IRS
As the ongoing government shutdown is now the longest in history, the Trump administration announced that partial SNAP benefits would be provided for November, while saying it considered using funds from the Department of Agriculture (USDA) but decided those funds “must remain available to protect full operation of Child Nutrition Programs throughout the fiscal year, instead of being used for SNAP benefits.”
“Section 32 Child Nutrition Program funds are not a contingency fund for SNAP,” read a court filing.
“Using billions of dollars from Child Nutrition for SNAP would leave an unprecedented gap in Child Nutrition funding that Congress has never had to fill with annual appropriations, and USDA cannot predict what Congress will do under these circumstances.”
SNAP Court Filing
President Trump later threatened to defy the prior order to pay SNAP benefits in a Truth Social post.
“SNAP BENEFITS, which increased by billions and billions of dollars (MANY FOLD!) during Crooked Joe Biden’s disastrous term in office (due to the fact that they were haphazardly ‘handed’ to anyone for the asking, as opposed to just those in need, which is the purpose of SNAP!), will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!” he wrote.
However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified and told reporters that the partial payments will still be distributed.
“The administration is fully complying with the court order. I just spoke to the president about it,” said Leavitt on Tuesday, blaming Democrats for the shutdown.
“The recipients of these SNAP benefits need to understand it’s going to take time to receive this money because the Democrats have forced the administration into a very untenable position.”
Meanwhile, the IRS announced that IRS Direct File, a system that allows taxpayers to file returns for free, will be discontinued.
“It wasn’t used very much,” said Treasury Secretary and IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent, claiming that there are “better alternatives” to Direct File.
“And we think that the private sector can do a better job.”
Airports
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that the DOT would have to close “certain parts of the airspace” if the shutdown continues into next week.
“You will see mass flight delays, you’ll see mass cancellations,” said Duffy at a press conference, adding, “We will restrict the airspace when we feel it’s not safe.”
“And you may see us close certain parts of the airspace because we just cannot manage it, because we don’t have the air traffic controllers.”
This comes as more than 10,000 flights experienced delays over the past week, while 4,700 trips were delayed on Monday.
In an X post, Duffy said that 46% of delays were due to staffing issues at air traffic control towers, while referencing Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and blaming Democrats for the ongoing shutdown.
“Democrats need to END THE SHUTDOWN and pay our controllers,” he wrote.
“The American people deserve better!”
The FAA later reduced flights at major airports across the country, with 10% of air traffic being cut.
“As we start to implement this drawdown in service, it will be restricted to these 40 high-volume traffic markets,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.
“We’re going to ask the airlines to work with us collaboratively to reduce their schedules.”
Impacted airports include:
• ANC – Anchorage International
• ATL – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
• BOS – Boston Logan International
• BWI – Baltimore/Washington International
• CLT – Charlotte Douglas International
• CVG – Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International
• DAL – Dallas Love Field
• DCA – Ronald Reagan Washington National
• DEN – Denver International
• DFW – Dallas/Fort Worth International
• DTW – Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County
• EWR – Newark Liberty International
• FLL – Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International
• HNL – Honolulu International
• HOU – Houston Hobby
• IAD – Washington Dulles International
• IAH – George Bush Intercontinental
• IND – Indianapolis International
• JFK – John F. Kennedy International
• LAS – Harry Reid International
• LAX – Los Angeles International
• LGA – LaGuardia
• MCO – Orlando International
• MDW – Chicago Midway
• MEM – Memphis International
• MIA – Miami International
• MSP – Minneapolis-St. Paul International
• OAK – Oakland International
• ONT – Ontario International
• ORD – Chicago O’Hare International
• PDX – Portland International
• PHL – Philadelphia International
• PHX – Phoenix Sky Harbor International
• SAN – San Diego International
• SDF – Louisville International
• SEA – Seattle-Tacoma International
• SFO – San Francisco International
• SLC – Salt Lake City International
• TEB – Teterboro
• TPA – Tampa International
Texas and Laura Loomer
As anti-immigrant sentiment continues, voters in Texas approved SJR 37, an amendment that bars “persons who are not citizens of the United States” from voting in the state, despite Texas already prohibiting noncitizens from voting.
SJR 37
“It is now in our Constitution that only U.S. citizens can vote in Texas elections,” wrote Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on X.
Meanwhile, following a previous Introspective report detailing the Pentagon creating a new press corps after reporters walked out of a Pentagon press conference over restrictions on covering the Department of Defense (DOD), far-right activist Laura Loomer announced that she has been approved to cover the agency.
“I’m excited to announce that after a year of breaking the most impactful stories that pertain to our nation’s national security and rooting out deceptive and disloyal bad actors from the Department of War, I have joined the Pentagon Press Corps!” she wrote on X, emphasizing that her publication, Loomered, is now a credentialed organization at the Pentagon.
“There is no denying that my investigative reporting has had a massive impact on the landscape of personnel decisions within the Executive Branch, our intelligence agencies, and the Pentagon,” she continued.
“I look forward to covering the Pentagon and breaking more stories that impact our country and our national security.”
This comes as major news networks—ABC News, CBS News, NBC News, CNN, and Fox News—refused to adhere to the new restrictions.
The Introspective 
Leave a comment