Obama-appointed judge torpedoes Trump’s bid to fight obesity as White House warns it won’t be ‘final say’
An Obama-appointed judge blocked the Trump administration’s effort on Monday to let a handful of states ban SNAP recipients from using food stamps to buy soda, candy and other sugary products.
"Amid a chronic disease epidemic, President Trump was elected with a resounding mandate to Make America Healthy Again," White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital. "This administration has rightfully put real food at the center of SNAP to promote healthier options for families in need. This will not be the final say on the matter."
The ruling is a setback for the administration’s "Make America Healthy Again" push, which has made SNAP reform a central front in its campaign against obesity, diabetes and chronic disease.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled Monday that because Congress has already defined "what ‘food’ is supposed to be," USDA cannot waive or amend the definition. Jackson has served on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia since 2011, after then-President Barack Obama appointed her to the bench.
Congress "set out clearly the type of experimental projects that could be tested to address the unquestionably serious health issues attributed to the rise of obesity in the population in general and particularly the low-income population. But it did not invite the Secretary to ignore its directives by trying to advance those ends under the banner of ‘efficiency’ or administrative improvements," Jackson wrote.
The lawsuit was brought by SNAP recipients in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia, where USDA had approved state waivers restricting certain food purchases, including candy, soft drinks and energy drinks. The plaintiffs were represented by the National Center for Law and Economic Justice and Shinder Cantor Lerner.
"An activist judge just blocked our commonsense restriction on using SNAP benefits for soda and junk. SNAP is for food — not sugar bombs fueling obesity, diabetes, and skyrocketing healthcare costs for low-income families," Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins wrote on X. "Taxpayers shouldn’t subsidize junk food and drinks at the expense of American health."
Both Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and USDA's Rollins have touted SNAP reform, traveling to various states and working with governors to ensure that Americans are making healthier choices by avoiding "junk food."
USDA has approved SNAP food restriction waivers in over 20 states.
"The idea that taxpayer funds should not be used to purchase junk food should not be controversial. USDA will not be backing down from the fight to Make America Healthy Again, including for families and communities reliant on SNAP," a USDA spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
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Michael Bloomberg tried something similar as New York City mayor in 2011, asking the Obama administration’s USDA to let the city block SNAP recipients from using benefits to buy sugary drinks. USDA rejected the request at the time, saying the proposal did not clearly show whether the restriction would actually improve health outcomes.
Fox News Digital reached out to HHS for comment.