Animal-Lover Mike (Ban China's Yulin Dog & Cat meat festival) (@animalloverleafer.bsky.social)

White House scrambles to limit fallout of Trump threats to withhold SNAP food aid benefits The White House just sent a raft of shutdown talking points to Hill Republicans, as the GOP scrambles to limit the fallout of President Donald Trump’s threats earlier Tuesday to withhold SNAP food aid benefits from low-income families unless Democrats agree to reopen the government. Trump’s threat shocked Republicans and came just a day after Speaker Mike Johnson specifically said Trump “isn’t appealing the decision” from the courts that would force the administration to disburse SNAP assistance amid the shutdown. “We all were like ‘what the fuck is this?’” said one senior Senate GOP aide, granted anonymity to speak candidly, noting the appearance that Trump was defying a court order just hours after his own administration sent out guidance for states to receive partial SNAP food aid benefits following a court order. The list of talking points sent to congressional Republicans from the White House Office of Legislative Affairs includes an exchange from Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s briefing Tuesday afternoon, with the following in bold: “No, the administration is fully complying with the court order.” http://dlvr.it/TP4Vt6