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.