Melania Trump has been attacked online after decorating the White House for Halloween.
The First Lady covered the front of the White House with dozens of pumpkins, which some felt was in poor taste due to the fact that millions of Americans are about to lose access to food benefits next month amid the government shutdown.
In a notice posted to the US Department of Agriculture’s website on Sunday, the government blamed Democrats for not voting to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
However, the Trump administration reportedly declined to tap into approximately $5billion in contingency funds to cover SNAP costs amidst the second longest shutdown in US history.
Given the current political climate, Melania’s move to shower the White House in fresh pumpkins sparked outrage online, with many taking to X (formerly Twitter) to slam the First Lady.
‘Awesome, too bad millions will have no food soon,’ commented one.
‘Instead of decorating with food, how about using it to give nutrition to the needy?’ asked another.
‘Are you going to give out those pumpkins to the people who are about to go hungry from losing their SNAP benefits or you’re going to tell them to go eat cake?’ asked a third.
Melania Trump has been attacked online after decorating the White House in dozens of fresh pumpkins for Halloween
Some felt Melania’s decorating was in poor taste due to the fact that millions of Americans are about to lose access to food benefits next month amid the government shutdown
Melania’s decision to forge ahead with decorating this season also raised some eyebrows due to her past comments about White House decor.
The former model was secretly recorded in 2018 complaining about decorating the White House for Christmas after being criticized over husband President Trump’s brutal immigration policies, which included separating families at the border.
‘I’m working my a** off on the Christmas stuff, that you know, who gives a f**k about the Christmas stuff and decorations? But I need to do it, right? she whined in the audio.
‘OK, and then I do it and I say that I’m working on Christmas and planning for the Christmas and they said, “Oh, what about the children that they were separated?” Give me a f***ing break. Where they were saying anything when Obama did that?’
It comes as some conservative commentators have outright called for food benefits like SNAP to be permanently axed.
The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh posted on social media, ‘EBT should just be abolished outright. 95 percent of the people on the program could easily feed themselves. They just don’t feel like making the effort.’
He added, ‘The other 5 percent can rely on charities, soup kitchens, food drives, churches, etc. The program is a disaster. Get rid of it.’
Another SNAP critic added, ‘Why the hell are we giving food stamps to 40 million people? Does anyone work anymore?’
People slammed the First Lady online and encouraged her to give the pumpkins to the needy
’40 f***ing million people, all eating, none of them paying for it. Absolute insanity,’ said a third.
‘When you give the government power to feed you, you give them the power to starve you. That’s why socialism or communism never works. Ever,’ posted another.
However, many others have supported benefits like SNAP and argued that they should remain in place.
‘My faith teaches me that food is lifegiving and meant to be shared. From the miracle of fishes and loaves to the Last Supper, we are called to feed and care for each other,’ posted Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
‘The Trump administration prohibiting SNAP benefits is wrong. We should be fighting hunger, not causing it,’ he added.
Another said, ‘Cutting off EBT during the holidays is heartless & telling people “just get a job” behind these food stamps is crazy. AIN’T NOBODY HIRING. People been getting LAID OFF by the THOUSANDS. Y’all are evil.’
‘If you’ve never had to survive on food stamps you don’t understand what’s about to happen to many families next month,’ agreed a third.
Around 42 million Americans rely on SNAP, which provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery shopping.
‘These are, for the most part, working individuals who still are living paycheck to paycheck,’ Gina Plata-Nino, interim director for nonprofit SNAP at the Food Research & Action Center, told CBS News.
The federal government entered into shutdown on October 1 when lawmakers failed to pass new funding bills.
