‘This is not leadership’: Donald Trump keeps the party going at Mar-A-Lago as millions of Americans lose SNAP benefits

Palm Beach, FL — President Donald Trump hosted a black-tie dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Friday, featuring filet mignon, seared scallops, and opera performances — the same day the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government is not required to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing 39-day government shutdown.

The ruling, delivered in a 6-3 decision in USDA v. National Grocers Association, upheld the Trump administration’s position that emergency SNAP funding cannot be extended without congressional appropriation.

The decision immediately reduced benefits for 42 million Americans — one in eight U.S. residents — by an average of 35%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Menu and Guest List

A menu circulated on social media by attendees listed: Appetizer included seared scallops with citrus beurre blanc; Entrée included filet mignon with truffle demi-glace and roasted root vegetables and warm chocolate soufflé with edible gold leaf for dessert.

Guests, dressed in tuxedos and evening gowns, were entertained by live opera performances throughout the evening, according to photos and videos shared by The Daily Beast and verified by multiple attendees.

Friday’s event marked the second consecutive weekend of high-profile gatherings at Mar-a-Lago. On November 1, Trump hosted a “Great Gatsby”-themed gala under the banner “A Little Party Never Killed Anyone” — a line from the 2013 film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel, which critiques excess and the hollow pursuit of the American Dream.

That party took place just hours before the SNAP benefit reduction took effect.

Supreme Court Decision

In its majority opinion, authored by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the Court ruled that the Anti-Deficiency Act prohibits the USDA from obligating funds beyond appropriated levels, even in emergencies.

Dissenting justices, led by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, argued the ruling “places millions of children at immediate risk of hunger during a manufactured fiscal crisis.”

The USDA confirmed that 1.8 million children under age 6 lost access to full benefits as a direct result of the cut.

On Saturday, while traveling by motorcade to Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida, the president posted on Truth Social, “The Democrats are winning in that they are destroying our great, miracle economy, which is exactly what they set out to do. TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER!”

The post called for eliminating the Senate’s 60-vote threshold to pass spending bills and voter reform legislation.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on October 31, that grocery prices rose 3.8% year-over-year, with meat, poultry, fish, and eggs up 5.2%. Moody’s Analytics estimates the shutdown is costing the U.S. economy $3.1 billion per day in lost output.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the gala, stating, “The president has the right to conduct private events at his personal residence.” She declined to comment on the SNAP ruling.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) issued a statement condemning the timing: “While families choose between rent and groceries, the president dines on gold-leaf desserts. This is not leadership — it is moral failure.”

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A continuing resolution to fund the government, including full SNAP restoration, is scheduled for a House vote on November 10. Passage remains uncertain without Republican concessions on Affordable Care Act subsidies.