Shutdown Update: Tariff Money will Keep Poor Women and Children from Going Hungry

There’s a bit of good news today during Week 2 of the federal government shutdown.

In a surprising move, the White House announced that it had devised a solution to keep over 6 million poor women, children, and babies from going hungry. 

President Trump will keep the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) feeding program up and running by using tariff revenue to fund it. This is a great idea and a good use of tariff revenue (other than paying down the debt).

WIC is a social safety net program funded through the appropriations process, which is different from most other welfare programs. Consequently, the refusal of Democrats (both in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate) to pass the “clean” continuing resolution already passed by the House placed this program at risk.

WIC had just a couple of weeks of funding, likely running out at the end of this week or so. While a few states said they could dip into their revenue to keep the feeding program open for a bit longer, it would not be enough.

Unlike some other welfare programs that have been expanded to the able-bodied and well-heeled, WIC truly serves the poor.

As I explained in an op-ed for The Hill:

Administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, WIC provides nutritious foods and education, breastfeeding support and health care referrals for low-income pregnant or postpartum women, infants and young children. In 2024, 6.7 million people participated in WIC — that includes 1.5 million women, 1.5 million infants and 3.7 million children under age five.

WIC participants have incomes at or below 185 percent of the U.S. Poverty Income Guidelines or are enrolled in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Medicaid.

The left was more than willing to let this program run out of money as they fight for healthcare subsidies to the rich.

Sadly, they are content to allow nearly 2 million pregnant women living on less than $34,080 to lose food benefits so that 1.6 million individuals earning more than twice that much and families earning more than four times that can keep the extra health care subsidies.

Thanks to President Trump, poor women and children will no longer be bargaining chips in these shutdown negotiations. 

On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that “President Trump and the White House have identified a creative solution to transfer resources from Section 232 tariff revenue to this critical program.” She added, “The Trump White House will not allow impoverished mothers and their babies to go hungry because of the Democrats’ political games.”

This is a novel approach for two reasons:

First, it demonstrates that the government can be creative and nimble. If there’s a problem, we don’t need five hearings, two commissions, and a dozen press releases, but the political will to solve it quickly. Perhaps intractable social problems could be solved by willingness, creativity, and flexibility. Cynically, many people in and around the government depend on problems persisting for their own political and financial gain.

Second, it signals that tariff revenue can be used flexibly and responsibly. Whatever your views on the tariffs, they are generating significant revenue for the federal government. Revenue hit $195 billion in the fiscal year that just ended and could top $500 billion annually, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The president has floated both good ideas–paying down the $37 trillion national debt–and bad ones–refund checks–for the tariff revenue. Some question the legality of the president directing tariff revenue, an issue that will certainly be litigated.

Bottom Line

For now, poor women and families watching the news and hearing that their lifelines to nutritious food might run out can breathe a sigh of relief thanks to the administration.