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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Democrats and Republicans Clash Over SNAP Contingency Funds

Democrats and Republicans Clash Over SNAP Contingency Funds

Republicans say funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits — formerly known as food stamps — will run out on Nov. 1 due to the federal government shutdown, and there’s nothing they can do about it. Democrats say there’s a contingency fund that could and should continue to fund regular SNAP benefits.

Competing Claims on Who Benefits from ACA Subsidies

Competing Claims on Who Benefits from ACA Subsidies

In the shutdown standoff over expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits, Democrats emphasize thousand-dollar premium increases for middle- or “working-class” Americans, while Republicans say people who are well-off unfairly benefit from the subsidies.

Assessing the Facts and Legal Questions About the U.S. Strikes on Alleged Drug Boats

Assessing the Facts and Legal Questions About the U.S. Strikes on Alleged Drug Boats

At least 61 people have been killed in 14 U.S. military strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean since early September. Here, we will address what is known about the targets of the strikes, the trafficking of illicit substances from South and Central America to the U.S., and what experts are saying about the legality of the Trump administration’s escalation of the war on drugs.

Pritzker’s Inaccurate Pushback on Chicago Murder Rate Claim

Pritzker’s Inaccurate Pushback on Chicago Murder Rate Claim

Defending Chicago in a recent Fox News interview, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said it was “not in the top 30” of “big cities” with the highest rates of murder. But in 2024, Chicago had the 15th highest murder rate among U.S. cities with at least 250,000 residents, according to FBI data. It ranked higher if limiting to cities with even larger populations.

Reagan’s Words on Tariffs

Reagan’s Words on Tariffs

An ad campaign from the government of Ontario featured audio of former President Ronald Reagan denouncing tariffs on foreign goods. The video rearranges what Reagan said in a 1987 radio address, and it ignores some of the context. But it does not alter the former president’s sentiments, contrary to President Donald Trump’s claim that Canada “lied.”

Trump’s White House Ballroom Sparks Questions About Funding and Ethics

Trump’s White House Ballroom Sparks Questions About Funding and Ethics

Q: Is President Donald Trump paying in full for the new ballroom at the White House, and what is the cost?

A: The White House said Trump and “other patriot donors” would pay for the ballroom, which the president estimated would cost $300 million. So far, $200 million has been pledged, according to the White House, which did not say how much the president would donate. Democratic leaders and ethics experts have questioned the project and what influence donors would have on federal policies.

RFK Jr.’s Inaccurate Claims About Tylenol, Circumcision and Autism

RFK Jr.’s Inaccurate Claims About Tylenol, Circumcision and Autism

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. further added to the Trump administration’s problematic claims about Tylenol and autism on Oct. 9, alleging during a Cabinet meeting that circumcision-related studies provide evidence that the drug causes the condition when given to children. The studies, however, do no such thing.

What’s in the Bolton Indictment?

What’s in the Bolton Indictment?

A federal grand jury in Maryland on Oct. 16 returned an indictment against former National Security Adviser John Bolton for mishandling classified national defense information obtained during his tenure in the first Trump administration. Here, we’ll provide information about what’s in the indictment and Bolton’s response.

Q&A on Trump’s Attempt to Deploy National Guard to Portland and Chicago

Q&A on Trump’s Attempt to Deploy National Guard to Portland and Chicago

While President Donald Trump’s rhetoric regarding Portland and Chicago has largely focused on overall crime, National Guard deployments are specifically targeted at protecting federal immigration operations and facilities. Here, we’ll unravel some of the rhetoric about what’s happening in those cities, what the Trump administration is doing and under what authority, and what the courts have had to say about it so far.