The White House stated that
the theme of the Friday night party at Mar-a-Lago was “ A little party nowadays
killed nothing, ” which is a quotation from the song used in the 2013 film
adaption of the book written by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Among the guests dressed up
in 1920s apparel were Ivanka and Tiffany Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio
and Tiffany Trump’s hubby, Michael Boulos, while the hosts also dressed up as
flappers in chatting with the guests.
For many years, literary
historians have praised Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel for its portrayal of the
nation’s affluence and class inequalities throughout the 1920s.
A number of Democrats
pointed out the symbolic significance and chastised the president for hosting
the celebration at a time when the government is still closed.
“Last night, Trump
made it even clearer that he doesn’t give a damn about anyone but himself and
his wealthy friends,”
he said in a statement.
Connecticut Sen. Chris
Murphy reshared a photo from the party on his social media and commented,
“The way he rubs
his inhumanity in Americans’ face never ceases to stun me.”
White House spokeswoman
Anna Kelly dismissed the critics, arguing in a statement Saturday, “These
Democrats are full of it.”
“President Trump has
consistently called on them to do the right thing and reopen the government,
which they could do at any time,”
she added.
Following a lawsuit by many
states, a federal judge in Rhode Island temporarily ordered the Trump
administration to continue providing SNAP payments on Friday. While declaring
that the Trump administration’s move to halt SNAP financing is “unlawful,”
another Boston court chose not to immediately mandate that the program get
funding.
On Friday, Trump declared
that he has sought information from the courts after two recent rulings in a
state of uncertainty, as the attorneys for his administration do not know
whether they have the legal authority to provide funding for SNAP during the
shutdown.
How many SNAP recipients were affected when benefits lapsed?
Nearly 42 million Americans were affected when Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits lapsed at the launch of November
2025 due to the government shutdown. This represents about one in eight U.S.
homes who calculate on SNAP for food backing each month. The interruption meant
these millions faced query about how they would get food until partial backing
was ordered by the courts later.
Most donor sources are low-income families, kids (around 39 of
SNAP participants), seniors, and people with disabilities. The states with the
highest number of applicants include California, Texas, and New York. The
average benefit per year is around $187 because it is an important supplement
to primary nutrition.
Following the lapse, numerous food banks and hunger relief
associations reported a swell in demand, as families plodded to fill the gap
left by halted SNAP benefits.
