Eighteen states have now agreed to work with the Trump administration to prohibit the use of SNAP benefits (food stamps) to purchase junk food. After 12 states initially submitted requests to implement such a ban earlier this year, six new states joined the list last week.
In a statement, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said that Hawaii, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee submitted waivers to “amend the statutory definition of ‘food for purchase’ under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beginning in 2026.” These waivers remove “unhealthy” foods from SNAP eligibility. The purpose of the waivers is to tailor “excluded items based on state submissions” and will go into effect next year.
The 12 states that previously submitted waivers are Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., praised the 18 states for embracing the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement and for promoting a healthy lifestyle to Americans.
“Thank you to the 18 governors who are leading the charge on SNAP reform to restore the health of Americans—especially our kids. Their courageous leadership is exactly what we need to Make America Healthy Again,” Kennedy said. “We cannot continue a system that forces taxpayers to fund programs that make people sick and then pay a second time to treat the illnesses those very programs help create.”
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins shared a similar sentiment to the new announcement by promoting the MAHA movement as a force of positive change for the country.
“President Trump has made it clear: we are restoring SNAP to its true purpose – nutrition. Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long,” Rollins said. “America’s governors are answering that call with courage and innovation, offering solutions that honor the generosity of the taxpayer while helping families live longer, healthier lives.”
In February, Rollins sent a letter to the nation’s governors promoting a new “Laboratories of Innovation” initiative that encouraged states to “propose bold ideas to address challenges that have long plagued our nation, particularly rural communities.” This included introducing “much-needed reforms to nutrition assistance programs to promote the dignity of work and healthy eating habits to ensure our citizens live longer, more abundant lives.”
The governors of several of these states heaped praise on the Trump administration for working to improve the nation’s health.
“I want to thank Secretary Rollins and the entire Trump administration for their work on our shared goal of modernizing SNAP to promote healthier eating and empower Virginians to lead healthier lives,” Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin said. “We all recognize that better nutrition is a critical step to making Virginia the strongest she’s ever been.”
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee shared the same sentiment.
“The Trump administration’s leadership to create innovative, responsible solutions that strengthen families and improve health outcomes will have a lasting impact on Tennesseans for generations to come,” Lee said. “I’m grateful to President Trump, Secretary Rollins, and Secretary Kennedy for quickly approving our SNAP waiver, and to our retailers and food producers for helping ensure nutritious food choices reach every community across our state.”
Alan Jamison is the pen name of a political writer with extensive experience writing for several notable politicians and news outlets.
