The Trump administration has delivered on a major campaign promise by allowing Nebraska to become the first state to ban residents from using food stamps to buy soda and energy drinks.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has championed the historic waiver as part of the “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
It stops taxpayer dollars from subsidizing unhealthy beverages for the 152,000 state residents on food stamps.
Nebraska made history as the first state to receive federal approval to restrict the purchase of soda and energy drinks through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
This groundbreaking decision came after years of similar requests being rejected, marking a significant shift in the government’s approach to nutrition assistance.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the decision and framed it as “a historic step to Make America Healthy Again” under President Donald Trump’s leadership.
He stated:
“Today’s waiver to remove soda and energy drinks from SNAP is the first of its kind, and it is a historic step to Make America Healthy Again. Under President Trump’s leadership, I have encouraged states to serve as the ‘laboratories of innovation.’ Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen and Governors in Iowa, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, West Virginia, and Colorado are pioneers in improving the health of our nation.”
The waiver represents a major victory for conservatives who have long argued that government assistance should promote healthy choices rather than subsidizing junk food and sugary drinks.
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen strongly endorsed the waiver, stating plainly what many taxpayers have felt for years.
“There’s absolutely zero reason for taxpayers to be subsidizing purchases of soda and energy drinks. SNAP is about helping families in need get healthy food into their diets, but there’s nothing nutritious about the junk we’re removing with today’s waiver,” Pillen said.
A 2016 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) study confirmed that soft drinks are the number one commodity purchased with SNAP benefits, accounting for 5.4% of all program expenditures.
This revelation strengthened arguments that the $100 billion program serving roughly 42 million Americans needed reform to better serve its intended purpose of providing nutritional support.
The policy represents a direct response to alarming health statistics released by the USDA.
The department revealed: “Prediabetes now affects one in three children ages 12 to 19; 40% of school-aged children and adolescents have at least one chronic condition; and 15% of high school students drink one or more sodas daily.”
Six other states have also requested similar waivers, showing growing momentum for the initiative across conservative-led states.
Secretary Rollins and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have prioritized banning sugary drinks and candy from SNAP.
They co-authored an op-ed outlining their strategy to improve health through SNAP reforms.
“[SNAP] has, for too long, been used to buy things that are not nutritious for our children and for our younger-income families. The number one cost driver in the SNAP program is sugary drinks,” Rollins expressed.
Liberals have criticized the move, claiming it adds administrative burdens and stigmatizes those facing food insecurity.
Nebraska’s waiver will take effect in 2026, giving retailers and SNAP participants time to prepare for the change.
The success of this program could set a national precedent, potentially transforming SNAP into a program that truly supports the nutritional needs of vulnerable families.
