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But lawyers for the Justice Department signaled that the administration could not, or would not, use those funds despite the looming shortfall.

In court filings and oral arguments, the Trump administration maintained that there were legal obstacles to transferring existing money to SNAP, technical hurdles in remitting payments quickly and other budgetary constraints to consider at the Agriculture Department, where the funds would originate.

Throughout the Thursday hearing, Judge Indira Talwani of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts frequently expressed skepticism about the administration’s claims. At one point, the judge said she saw no reason the government could not tap its own emergency reserves, given the nature and duration of the fiscal crisis.

“Congress has put money in an emergency fund,” she said. “It’s hard for me to understand how this isn’t an emergency, when there’s no money, and a lot of people are needing their SNAP benefits.”

Judge Talwani later said she believed it was up to the Trump administration to “figure out how you’re going to stretch that emergency money for now.”

The administration’s refusal to act underscored its broader strategy over the course of a government shutdown still with no end in sight. Throughout, President Trump has been willing to reprogram the federal budget, but only selectively, safeguarding programs at the heart of his political agenda while leaving some Americans to face the risk of real harm.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

For the roughly 42 million Americans who participate in the food stamp program, the immediate threat is hunger and financial hardship, with SNAP benefits set to disappear starting on Nov. 1. The benefits average around $187 a month, costing the federal government about $8 billion monthly, which lawmakers replenish every year as part of the budget process.

SNAP also maintains a reserve in case of emergencies or shortfalls, and many Democrats and Republicans had encouraged the Trump administration to tap that fund — totaling about $5 billion — in the event the shutdown entered November. Initially, the Agriculture Department signaled publicly that it would indeed use this contingency money to prevent any interruption to food stamp benefits.

But the Trump administration abruptly reversed course this month, saying that it could not legally drain the available reserves, except in cases of natural disasters. It also warned states that it would not reimburse them if they tried to finance food stamps on their own, though some local officials have forged ahead anyway.

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It remained unclear if, when, or how much of the money would reach the roughly 42 million people who depend on it to buy groceries. Credit…Ruth Fremson/The New York Times

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