Actor Jeff Bridges slammed lawmakers on Friday as millions of people across America are set to lose their food assistance this weekend. Appearing on CNN, The Big Lebowski star accused members of Congress of using the act of feeding hungry kids as a political "weapon."
"It's so bizarre here in the wealthiest country in the world. We have enough food, we have enough money, we have enough programs to end childhood hunger. To use feeding kids as a weapon going back and forth doesn't make any sense," he said.
"Billy [Shore, the founder of Share Our Strength] and I have been traveling all over the country talking to governors and mayors in the states themselves. Republicans, Democrats and independents all agree, we should feed our kids. There's no reason not to do that. And to have the feds getting in the way of this thing, talk about bizarre."
Why It Matters
SNAP benefits have become the defining issue of the federal government shutdown, now entering its second month. While funding has been found to cover military personnel's wages and other services, the food assistance program's money is set to expire Friday, leaving millions without their November payments.
What To Know
Bridges, founder of the End Hunger Network, appeared on CNN on Thursday evening, where host Jake Tapper asked him about the looming drop-off in food assistance, despite a USDA contingency fund of roughly $6 billion that President Donald Trump's administration now says cannot be used.
The actor stated that SNAP had never been shut down, regardless of whether the government was open or not, and expressed his frustration with lawmakers for not finding a solution.
SNAP is a mandatory program used by around 42 million Americans, but it depends on federal appropriations for funding. With those funds on hold during the ongoing shutdown, the USDA has said benefits cannot be issued.
The White House and Republicans in Congress are facing increasing pressure to address the issue, with a federal judge in Boston signaling on Thursday that she may order the Trump administration to provide food assistance for November.
Are SNAP Benefits Being Paid in November?
As of Friday morning, many SNAP recipients will not get their November payments.
Some states have stepped in to provide food assistance, either by covering payments themselves or expanding food banks and implementing other emergency measures to ensure people have food on the table.
What Has Been the Longest Government Shutdown?
As of Friday, October 31, the current shutdown has lasted 30 days.
Shutdowns are not uncommon for the federal government, with the last being in December 2018, during Trump's first term. It was the longest so far, lasting 35 days.
What People Are Saying
Tiffany Haynor, a SNAP recipient from Tennessee, previously told Newsweek: “I don’t have much money to spend on food as it all goes to bills. Rent, electric, cell phone, and car insurance just to name a few, leaves me with very little to buy any food. I can only imagine what things will look like this next month with so many not having food.”
Dottie Rosenbaum, senior fellow and director of federal SNAP policy and the center-left think tank The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, said: "Under past shutdowns, during both Republican and Democratic administrations, SNAP benefits have always been provided using available funding sources to prevent a break in benefits. While it is not clear whether past administrations used the contingency reserve or instead used other available funding sources, making use of the contingency reserve unnecessary, the guidance documents from past shutdowns or near-shutdowns make it clear that the SNAP contingency reserve was available to cover regular SNAP benefits."
Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said earlier this week: "There has to be a preexisting appropriation for the contingency to be used, and Democrats blocked that appropriation when they rejected the clean continuing resolution. The best way for SNAP benefits to be paid on time is for the Democrats to end their shutdown."
What Happens Next
Trump has urged lawmakers to end the filibuster in Congress to get a funding plan through and reopen the government.
Update 10/31/25, 10:37 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
