RFK Jr. May Ban Food Stamp Purchases of Junk Food, Says Ag Secretary Rollins

Americans on food stamps may soon be restricted from using taxpayer-funded benefits to buy junk food, according to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. In a commonsense move that should have happened long ago, Rollins suggested that the government should ensure food assistance goes toward healthier options instead of sugary drinks and processed snacks.

Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Rollins discussed her collaboration with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reform the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). She raised a key question: Should taxpayer dollars be used to subsidize unhealthy food choices?

• SNAP spending has skyrocketed under Biden. Rollins noted that the program expanded by nearly 30% under the previous administration, ballooning to over $110 billion per year while serving more than 42 million people in 2023.

• Government programs often grow without accountability. What was originally intended as a temporary “hand up” has become a permanent, ever-expanding system with little oversight. Rollins emphasized the need to reassess whether SNAP is achieving its intended purpose or merely fostering dependence.

• The goal isn’t to take food away but to make smarter choices. “Will we ever take food out of a hungry child’s mouth? Of course not,” Rollins clarified. “But truly, this program has grown so large.”

Of course, the left will likely attack this proposal as "cruel" or "punitive," but they ignore the fact that restricting government-funded junk food purchases isn't a radical idea. The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program already has strict nutritional guidelines for what can be purchased. Shouldn’t all taxpayer-funded nutrition programs follow the same standard?

Americans deserve to know that their hard-earned tax dollars aren’t funding a cycle of poor health and government dependence. It’s time for real reform in how assistance programs are managed.

Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for updates if you agree it's time to put accountability back into government spending.