A federal judge has dealt a setback to the Trump administration's efforts to restrict soda purchases under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, blocking pilot projects in five states that would have banned the use of benefits for sugary drinks.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, an Obama appointee, issued the ruling Monday, siding with SNAP recipients who argued the U.S. Department of Agriculture had no legal authority to carve out soda from the program's definition of food. The decision vacates and remands USDA approval letters sent to Iowa, Nebraska, West Virginia, Colorado, and Tennessee.
“Congress defined what ‘food’ is supposed to be, and it did not authorize the agency to amend or waive the definition it enacted,” Jackson wrote. “It did not authorize the agency to cut types of food out of SNAP entirely.”
The five states had submitted waiver requests between April and August 2025, seeking to exclude soft drinks and soda from SNAP-eligible items. The USDA, under Secretary Brooke Rollins, approved those requests as part of a broader push backed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the “Make America Healthy Again” movement. According to Reuters, the department has approved similar food restriction waivers in 23 states.
Jackson emphasized that the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 sets clear parameters for what SNAP can purchase. “It set out clearly the type of experimental projects that could be tested to address the unquestionably serious health issues attributed to the rise of obesity,” she noted, but added that the law does not permit wholesale elimination of food categories.
The lawsuit was brought by five SNAP recipients from the affected states, represented by the National Center for Law and Economic Justice, a nonprofit focused on low-income families. They argued the waivers would arbitrarily limit their choices and violate federal law.
The ruling comes amid broader legal battles over food policy and federal authority. In a related development, a Missouri judge restored medication abortion access, highlighting ongoing judicial scrutiny of health-related executive actions. Meanwhile, public trust in government institutions continues to erode, as a recent Fox News poll showed trust at a record low.
The USDA had not responded to requests for comment at press time. The ruling does not affect the other 18 states with approved waivers, though legal experts say it could set a precedent for challenges elsewhere. Jackson's order is likely to be appealed by the administration, which has consistently pushed to limit SNAP purchases of sugary drinks as part of its dietary reform agenda.
