A 63-year-old, longtime MAGA supporter, Betty Szretter never imagined she’d be here, relying on food stamps and second-guessing the vote she proudly cast for Donald Trump.
These days, her world revolves around caring for her 26-year-old daughter, Hannah, who has lived with Type 1 diabetes since childhood and now struggles with a mental health condition that makes working impossible. For years, they’ve leaned on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP, to make ends meet. But with the federal government shutdown dragging on, their food benefits are set to vanish, and Szretter says she’s facing a harsh reality.
“We were sure he’d help people like us,” she said in an interview. “Now we’re the ones being left behind.”
SNAP supports roughly 42 million Americans, many of them families like Szretter’s who are already stretched thin. As funding stalls, federal courts have been forced to push the administration to release contingency funds just to keep the program running. Without that safety net, millions could find themselves staring at empty fridges heading into the holidays.
“It all seems very selfish,” Szretter told CNN, describing her frustration with the Trump administration’s decision not to prioritize food aid. At the same time, Trump has been abroad on a diplomatic trip across Asia, while news outlets report he’s overseeing construction of a $300 million ballroom on the grounds of the White House. For Szretter, the contrast couldn’t be starker. “I believe the administration, instead of focusing on presidential ballrooms, should be paying attention to individual Americans’ dining rooms,” she said.
She’s not alone in feeling that disconnect. A new ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll shows 45 percent of Americans blame Trump and congressional Republicans for the shutdown, while 33 percent point fingers at Democrats. The same poll found that 63 percent of voters now disapprove of Trump’s handling of the government.
“It’s become clear that when people suffer like we are, they don’t care about headlines,” Szretter said. “They just want food in the fridge, and that’s what he promised.”
The shutdown has already sidelined hundreds of thousands of federal workers, with economists warning it’s costing the U.S. billions every week it continues. Critics say the White House is using the freeze as a political weapon while ordinary families pay the price. The administration could tap emergency reserves to cover food aid, but so far, it hasn’t.
For Szretter, the numbers aren’t abstract. She and Hannah depend on about $300 a month from SNAP. Without it, keeping Hannah’s blood sugar steady becomes a daily fight. “I thought I was doing the right thing voting for Trump,” Szretter said. “I believed I was backing change for Americans like me. Now I’m watching the help we need disappear.”
As Washington drags its feet with the shutdown, families like Szretter’s are running out of options. What once felt like political loyalty now feels like betrayal. “I supported him because I thought he meant business,” she said. “Now I just hope we don’t go hungry because of it.” Szretter is one of many who now regret voting for Trump in his second term.
