Nearly 5 million Americans have stopped receiving food assistance since the start of President Donald Trump’s second administration, according to recent figures from the United States Department of Agriculture.
Enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, widely known as SNAP or food stamps, fell from 42.8 million recipients in January 2025 to 37.8 million by February 2026. That marks an 11 percent decline in just over a year.
The latest monthly data showed a sharp drop as well, with around 668,000 people leaving the program between January and February 2026 alone.
SNAP remains the country’s largest anti-hunger program, providing monthly food support through electronic benefit cards that can be used at approved stores.
States With The Biggest SNAP Declines
The largest overall declines were seen in several major Sun Belt states.
Georgia recorded the biggest drop, with 642,628 fewer SNAP recipients. Florida followed with 489,321 fewer recipients, while Arizona saw a decline of 449,500. Texas lost 377,254 recipients, and California recorded a drop of 335,248.
Together, these five states accounted for a large share of the nationwide decrease in SNAP participation.
By percentage, Arizona saw the sharpest decline, with enrollment falling by 50.03 percent in just over a year. Georgia followed with a 33.17 percent drop, while North Carolina recorded a 20.19 percent decline. Louisiana saw participation fall by 17.49 percent.
Only two states reported increases in SNAP enrollment during the same period. Alaska saw participation rise by 5.45 percent, while Hawaii recorded a 1.95 percent increase.
New Work Rules Affect Recipients
A major factor behind the decline is the implementation of new rules under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The law tightened eligibility standards and expanded work requirements for some SNAP recipients.
Under the updated rules, certain recipients must work, volunteer, attend school, or take part in job training for at least 20 hours per week, or 80 hours per month, to qualify for or keep benefits.
The rules now apply to more adults between the ages of 18 and 64 who do not have a dependent child under 14 and are considered physically and mentally able to work.
Veterans and current or former foster youth between ages 18 and 24 are also no longer exempt from the requirements.
Why People Are Losing Benefits
The decline does not necessarily mean millions of people suddenly became financially secure or earned too much to qualify.
In many cases, recipients lose benefits because they miss reporting deadlines, fail to complete recertification paperwork, or struggle to meet updated work-related requirements.
SNAP recipients are usually required to recertify their eligibility every three to six months, depending on state rules. Benefits can be stopped if paperwork is incomplete, documents are missing, or deadlines are not met.
States began implementing the new requirements gradually after the law was signed in July 2025. Full compliance was required by the USDA’s November 1 deadline.
Sharpest Drop Came After Deadline
SNAP participation had already been declining through the first half of 2025, but the drop became much steeper later in the year.
Between January and July 2025, enrollment fell by just over 800,000 people. However, between August 2025 and January 2026, the number of recipients dropped by roughly 3.4 million.
The biggest single-month decline happened between October and November 2025, when more than 1.09 million people exited the program as states applied the updated rules.
The sharp decline in SNAP enrollment shows how policy changes, expanded work requirements, and administrative rules can quickly affect millions of low-income Americans.
While some recipients may have left the program because their financial situation improved, many others may have lost benefits due to paperwork challenges, missed deadlines, or stricter eligibility standards.
With nearly 5 million fewer people receiving food assistance, the impact of these changes will continue to be closely watched across the country.