Government Shutdown Averted: WIC Program Receives $300 Million Boost

Mon Oct 20 2025 21:23:29 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The Trump administration has infused $300 million into the WIC program, ensuring continued support for low-income mothers and children during the ongoing government shutdown.

In a critical development this week, the Trump administration allocated $300 million to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). The funding, sourced from leftover tariff revenues, will prevent the program from running out of money amid the government shutdown and supports over 6 million low-income mothers and their young children. With this relief, several states, including Alaska and Washington, have confirmed receipt of the funds, allowing their WIC programs to continue operations through at least the end of October.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A food aid program that supports millions of low-income mothers and their young children received a $300 million infusion from the Trump administration this week, alleviating some anxiety that it would run out of money during the ongoing government shutdown.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) aids more than 6 million low-income families by providing funds for purchasing nutritious staples like fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk, and infant formula. The program was at risk of running out of money this month due to the government shutdown, which began on October 1.

This week, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt announced on social media that a creative solution had been found to utilize tariff revenues to keep the program operating. By the end of this week, states such as Alaska and Washington confirmed they received WIC funds, enough to run their programs until at least the end of October. Furthermore, the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada, which had closed its office after exhausting its funds, reopened after receiving a significant financial boost.

Officials indicated during a Thursday call that the government plans to continue using $300 million in leftover tariff revenue to uphold the program. Without this urgent funding, state and local governments would have had to find alternative financing to support their WIC programs, leading to delayed reimbursements from the federal government.

In Alaska, for instance, the WIC program was set to run out of federal funds, necessitating state funding to ensure continuity. Fortunately, state officials announced this week that they received nearly $900,000, enough to last through November 8. This amount included $500,000 from unspent funds from other child nutrition programs.

The government shutdown has occurred due to an impasse between Republicans and Democrats over government funding issues, including healthcare and subsidies for millions of Americans. The White House and Republicans have attributed the shutdown and potential impacts on WIC to the Democrats' inability to agree on budget measures.

As discussions progress, it is essential to monitor the situation closely as both sides grapple with finding common ground.