Published February 23, 2026
As the president prepares to deliver the State of the Union on Tuesday, millions of families across our nation — one in seven households to be exact — are struggling to put food on the table. For the 47.9 million people, including 14.1 million children, who live in these households, food insecurity is not an abstract concept. It is a daily reality, and it has only gotten worse as the cost of food has continued to climb.
When I listen to the president’s address, I will be looking for him to acknowledge the challenges that families face; to center the needs of the millions of people who are struggling to feed themselves and their families; and to make eliminating food insecurity a national priority, so every child, every older adult, every veteran, and every family is able to access the affordable, nutritious food they need to thrive.
That starts with President Trump sharing that he will work with Congress to reverse the deep cuts the budget reconciliation law (H.R. 1) made to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) last summer. SNAP is our nation’s most effective anti-hunger program. It lifts millions out of poverty, improves health outcomes, lowers health care costs, supports farmers, and boosts local economies. The cuts made by H.R. 1 will lead millions to lose all or some of their SNAP benefits and will require states to cover more of SNAP’s administrative costs and for the first time to cover some of the benefit costs, forcing states to make difficult choices like cutting state spending on education or other services, increasing taxes, or dropping out of SNAP completely.
Cuts to SNAP can have the double whammy of making children hungry at home and at school. When children’s families lose SNAP, they also lose their direct connection to school meals. And cuts also undermine the progress being made on Healthy School Meals for All.
School breakfast and lunch reduce food insecurity and support learning, and are some of the healthiest meals children eat. Offering school meals to all children at no charge allows more children to experience the education and health benefits linked to school meals, reduces the stigma that keeps many children who are eligible for free school meals from participating, eases the pressure on families’ household budgets, and eliminates school meal debt. Offering free school meals to all students regardless of household income is an important strategy to achieve the administration’s expressed priority to improve the health of our nation’s children. Already, 60 percent of schools are offering meals to all their students at no charge, and the president can commit to making it a reality in all schools.
Additionally, the president can use his address to encourage all states to operate the Summer EBT Program, which provides grocery benefits to help struggling families replace school meals during summer vacation. The 12 states that have not opted in to the program are missing out on over $1.4 billion, combined, that would reduce childhood hunger, improve nutrition, and support local economies.
The president should also show his support for families by committing to keep our children learning, safe, and well-nourished during out-of-school time through investing in and expanding access to high-quality afterschool and summer programs that offer nutritious meals, and to child care and child care meals.
The president also can talk about the bipartisan shared vision that children get a healthy start in life, and the important role that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has in achieving that goal.
If we want our nation to be strong and healthy, and for all of our children to thrive, we must commit to building a nation free from hunger. The State of the Union address provides President Trump an important opportunity to talk about how he will ensure that the most basic of needs are met for everyone across the United States of America.