White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Tuesday that the Trump administration plans to use tariff revenues to support a key nutrition program for low-income mothers and babies amid the government shutdown.
Leavitt Lauds Trump's Fix For WIC Funding Crisis
Leavitt took to X on Wednesday to praise President Donald Trump for identifying a “creative solution” to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) funding crisis, ensuring that the most vulnerable women and children would not go hungry.
She said the solution involved transferring “resources from Section 232 tariff revenue” to the WIC program.
Leavitt accused the Democrats of causing the government shutdown, which has led to the depletion of funds for the WIC program.
Her response came in light of an Axios report, which originally revealed that the White House had located funding to sustain the food aid program that was at risk due to the shutdown.
The exact amount that the White House plans to spend and the disbursement timeline remain unclear.
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Schumer Blames GOP for Shutdown; Workers Face Pay Uncertainty
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) accused Trump and congressional Republicans of triggering the shutdown, calling it a “life or death” issue for millions of Americans.
Meanwhile, furloughed federal workers faced uncertainty regarding their back pay, as a White House memo suggested that they might not be guaranteed compensation for their forced time off during the shutdown.
Trump has expressed his willingness to work with the Democrats on healthcare and other policies, but insisted that the government be reopened first.
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