So much of what is reported on legacy network news these days isn’t so much news as it is anti-news- propaganda meant to disinform and/or make viewers afraid of something. Such is the case with CBS’s report on changes to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) that aired on tonight’s Evening News Plus.
Watch as CBS tries to gaslight the public into believing that asking able-bodied Americans to look for work before applying for public assistance is a “cut”:
JOHN DICKERSON: So, Jo-Ling, let's start with what are some of the new rules and what's changed with the SNAP program since this legislation passed?
JO-LING KENT: John, we're going to start to see these changes rolled out over the next couple of years. New work requirements went into effect on Labor Day. And the biggest change is that non-disabled adults without independents(sic) have to fulfill a work requirement until the age of 64. That's ten years longer than the current 54-year age requirement. And we've also seen some exemptions also removed for some parents. So as we zoom out that 2.4 million figure that you cited, those people will lose their SNAP benefits according to the CBO. And that's an estimate. And that includes hundreds of thousands of families with kids, and families across all 50 states could lose an estimated 72 to $231 a month. And if you think about that, that's a major hit when it comes to your weekly grocery budget. Multiple food banks in the metro areas across the U.S. are also- they’re bracing for an increase in need. We're going to see a double whammy when it comes to cuts in SNAP benefits, plus food prices continuing to remain high with inflation so stubborn, John.
From the outset, the biggest change to SNAP eligibility comes from people remaining under the work requirement for an additional 10 years- same as you and me. And, in all fairness, the work requirement doesn’t mean actual work. It also encompasses looking for work, or studying in lieu of work. But this is presented as a cut to everyone.
That able-bodied individuals not of retirement age should remain in the job market before applying for food stamps is not extraordinary in and of itself, but is presented by CBS as the most draconian thing. How dare people be on the welfare rolls and be made to look for work?
The rest of the report is fearmongering filler, with presumptions about overwhelmed food banks and mental gymnastics with regard to the effect of these changes on food retailers. None of these analyses take into account the effect of millions of additional Americans entering the workforce, or the effects upon the program of millions of illegal aliens coming off the welfare rolls. The whole of the report is anti-news at its worst.
Bari Weiss can’t get to CBS quickly enough.
Click “expand” to view full transcript of the aforementioned segment as aired on CBS Evening News Plus on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025:
JOHN DICKERSON: A federal program dating back to the New Deal that provides food assistance to more than 40 million Americans has been cut. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 2.4 million fewer people will now qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. This is under President Trump's tax and spending plan that passed in July. Here to discuss is CBS's Senior Business and Technology Correspondent, Jo-Ling Kent. So, Jo-Ling, let's start with what are some of the new rules and what's changed with the SNAP program since this legislation passed?
JO-LING KENT: John, we're going to start to see these changes rolled out over the next couple of years. New work requirements went into effect on Labor Day. And the biggest change is that non-disabled adults without independents(sic) have to fulfill a work requirement until the age of 64. That's ten years longer than the current 54-year age requirement. And we've also seen some exemptions also removed for some parents. So as we zoom out that 2.4 million figure that you cited, those people will lose their SNAP benefits according to the CBO. And that's an estimate. And that includes hundreds of thousands of families with kids, and families across all 50 states could lose an estimated 72 to $231 a month. And if you think about that, that's a major hit when it comes to your weekly grocery budget. Multiple food banks in the metro areas across the U.S. are also- they’re bracing for an increase in need. We're going to see a double whammy when it comes to cuts in SNAP benefits, plus food prices continuing to remain high with inflation so stubborn, John.
DICKERSON: And what happens, then, to the stores that- that give service- service these customers?
KENT: Yeah John, we expect to see both a positive and negative impact on the big box retailers. Overall, you could see spending go down because of the SNAP cuts. Last year, Americans redeemed about $61 billion in SNAP benefits. And half of that amount was estimated to have been spent at Walmart, Kroger, Costco, Target and other major retailers. So with these cuts you could see that revenue that these companies typically bring in, bring in, take a hit. But at the same time, some of those retailers like Walmart in particular, may benefit because customers with SNAP benefits who are really trying to stretch their dollars even more with these cuts and reductions, they will actually look for more, deeper discounts, something that Walmart and other major retailers can afford to offer. You compare that to independent grocers in your neighborhood, those smaller businesses, they can't afford to cut prices as aggressively, John.
DICKERSON: Jo-Ling Kent, thank you so much.