Trump authorizes tariff income to fund WIC throughout authorities shutdown

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White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned Tuesday that President Donald Trump has licensed a plan to make use of tariff income to maintain the WIC vitamin program working throughout the federal government shutdown, vowing the administration "is not going to enable moms and kids to go hungry."

In a post on X , Leavitt accused Democrats of "cruelly voting to close down the federal government," saying their actions compelled the Particular Supplemental Vitamin Program for Girls, Infants and Kids, or WIC, to expire of funds this week.

Leavitt added that Trump had directed officers to faucet Part 232 tariff income to maintain WIC.

The White Home confirmed to Fox Information that the plan is a short-term "inventive answer" developed by the Workplace of Administration and Funds (OMB).

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White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks throughout a press briefing on the White Home on Monday. (AP Photographs)

"The Trump White Home is not going to enable impoverished moms and their infants to go hungry due to the Democrats' political video games," Leavitt mentioned in a press release.

How a lot tariff cash shall be used has not but been disclosed, however the infusion is anticipated to cowl prices "for the foreseeable future." This system had been projected to exhaust its funds inside weeks.

WIC offers vouchers for wholesome meals, breastfeeding assistance and vitamin schooling to roughly 6 million low-income ladies and kids nationwide.

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Tariff income will cowl the prices of WIC, aka Particular Supplemental Vitamin Program for Girls, Infants and Kids, as the federal government shutdown continues. (iStock)

The federal authorities spent more than $7 billion on this system throughout fiscal 2024, in accordance with the U.S. Division of Agriculture (USDA).

Democrats have criticized Republicans in previous price range fights over WIC eligibility and funding ranges, whereas Republicans blame Democrat resistance to spending restraints for fueling the current shutdown .

White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks throughout a press briefing on the White Home in Washington, D.C. (Saul Loeb/AFP through Getty Photographs)

The White Home has not mentioned how lengthy tariff funds will final or whether or not one other infusion could be wanted if Congress stays deadlocked.