In a recent development, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has issued a temporary pause on an order that demanded the Trump administration to complete full Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) payments for November by the upcoming Friday.

Justice Jackson’s decision effectively puts a hold on part of these payments until the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit can examine the administration’s request to suspend the order as they work through the appeal process.

This ruling does not indicate any judgment on the fundamental legal issues at the heart of the case. Instead, it provides a brief respite for the Trump administration, which sought intervention from the Supreme Court late Friday evening.

In her written statement, Justice Jackson noted, “Given the First Circuit’s representations, an administrative stay is required to facilitate the First Circuit’s expeditious resolution of the pending stay motion.”

Justice Jackson took on the immediate request due to her responsibility for handling emergency appeals originating from the First Circuit.

“Our attorneys will not stop fighting, day and night, to defend and advance President Trump’s agenda,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on the social platform X.

SNAP provides roughly 42 million people with grocery assistance, and the program’s funding lapse has become one of the most visible signs of the government shutdown as it stretches into a sixth week. 

Cities and private groups sued the administration as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the benefit would be cut off starting in November, the first time the program has dried up completely. 

U.S. District Judge John McConnell initially ruled the administration needed to, at minimum, deplete a $5 billion SNAP contingency fund, rejecting arguments that it was only intended for hurricanes and other unforeseen emergencies. 

But it is not enough to cover the full November benefits, and McConnell said partial payments would only be lawful if they could be provided expeditiously. States and the Trump administration have acknowledged the recalculations would likely spark weekslong delays. 

So on Thursday, McConnell ruled the administration needed to move roughly $4 billion from child nutrition programs to fund the remaining gap for the November payments, sparking the administration’s last-minute appeal ahead of Friday’s deadline. 

“If allowed to stand, this decision will metastasize and sow further shutdown chaos,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote of the lower ruling. 

A three-judge panel on the 1st Circuit declined to immediately intervene earlier Friday evening. 

By the time the administration reached the Supreme Court, the USDA had already sent a letter to regional SNAP directors indicating it was working to comply and process the payments.

Updated at 9:48 p.m. EST