U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said the federal government must maintain financial flexibility to deal with potential emergencies, even as the record-breaking government shutdown stretched into its 37th day.
“Our country has to remain very liquid because problems, catastrophes, wars, could be anything,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked about a court order requiring his administration to fully fund food assistance for 42 million low-income Americans by Friday.
“We have to remain liquid. We can’t give everything away based on a number,” he added, suggesting that fiscal prudence was necessary to ensure the country could respond quickly to unforeseen crises.
The president’s comments came after a federal judge ruled earlier in the week that the U.S. Department of Agriculture must release Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds despite the ongoing shutdown.
The order aimed to prevent disruptions to food aid programs serving millions of vulnerable households nationwide.
The partial government shutdown, now well past its previous record length, has closed federal offices, furloughed hundreds of thousands of workers, and strained public services.
Negotiations between the White House and congressional leaders have remained stalled, with no immediate sign of a deal to reopen the government.
Trump has repeatedly framed the prolonged standoff as necessary to “protect the nation’s financial health,” while critics argue that the shutdown itself is causing widespread economic harm and undermining public confidence in Washington’s ability to govern.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
