Governor Newsom Criticizes Vice President Vance Over SNAP Benefits Ruling

California Governor Gavin Newsom has sharply criticized U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance for rejecting a federal court order requiring the Trump administration to pay Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits amid the ongoing government shutdown.

Speaking during a CNN interview, Newsom condemned Vance’s remarks calling the judge’s ruling “absurd” and his refusal to comply with it. “Think about the state of mind of the vice president,” Newsom said. “How do you square the circle when you go to a prayer breakfast? What’s the fundamental thing that connects every scripture—from John to Matthew to Proverbs? It’s the notion of hunger, feeding the poor, the sick, the tired. It’s not an option—it’s central to advancing God’s will.”

The governor accused the federal government of attempting to use food assistance as a “bargaining chip” to end the shutdown, calling the move “shameful” and unprecedented in U.S. history.

Newsom praised the coalition of 23 state attorneys general who filed lawsuits against the administration, saying their legal victories were crucial steps forward. “Now we need to win the heart and mind of the president of the United States, not just the vice president, to do the right damn thing,” he added.