Tariff Cash & Tiny Victory: How $300M Is Keeping WIC From Going Broke During the Shutdown

Politics temporarily found its soft spot this week — and it wasn’t a bipartisan handshake in Congress, it was a stack of infant formula and a crate of carrots. 

Facing the real possibility that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) might run out of money amid the government shutdown, the White House quietly tapped $300 million in unspent tariff revenues to keep the program running — at least for a while.

WIC matters. 

It helps more than 6 million low-income moms, babies and young children buy basics like fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk and infant formula. 

Because the shutdown hit right before WIC’s annual appropriation was due, the program briefly teetered toward a cash cliff. 

This week the administration told staffers it would reprogram $300 million from last year’s unused tariff receipts to plug that gap, a move USDA officials briefed congressional staffers on (sources who were not authorized to speak publicly described the call to AP).

The White House called it “a creative solution” in a post by spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt on X. 

Practically speaking, the transfer is a lifesaver for some states: Alaska got nearly $900,000, enough to run through Nov. 8, Washington said it received funds to keep its program operating through October, and the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada was able to reopen after briefly shutting down. 

Shirley Sakaye, a spokesperson with Alaska’s health department, said about half of Alaska’s infusion came from leftover funds from other programs — a tidy accounting trick that kept babies fed for a few extra weeks.

USDA officials note the law allows tariff or other program funds to be shifted where the agency has authority to do so, and tariff revenue already supports many USDA programs. 

But the fix is short-term: the reprogramming doesn’t eliminate the underlying political problem — namely, the shutdown itself and looming budget fights over WIC’s future.

That political context is sharp.

 

White House and Republican critics seized the moment to blame Democrats — “The Democrats are so cruel in their continual votes to shut down the government that they forced the WIC program for the most vulnerable women and children to run out this week,” Leavitt posted on X — while Democrats fired back at the administration’s budget proposals. 

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) put it bluntly: “Since President Trump is now signaling he cares about the WIC program, he should finally get to the negotiating table to reopen the government,” she said. “And he should immediately disavow his budget request to significantly cut benefits for millions of moms and kids — and tell House Republicans to back off their proposed cuts as well.”

Why this matters beyond press releases: WIC isn’t a discretionary pony that can be put away when politics get messy. 

It operates at the local level; if federal funds dry up, states and tribal organizations often must front money to keep benefits flowing and then hope for federal reimbursement later. 

Not every state can afford that. 

Washington state, grappling with a major budget shortfall, had already signaled it could not backstop WIC. 

That’s why the $300 million mattered: without it, local clinics would have closed, checks wouldn’t have been issued, and families would have scrambled to find formula and healthy foods for infants and toddlers.

Practical realities and honest caveats:
• The tariff transfer is temporary. It keeps WIC running now, not forever. Expect states and local WIC agencies to keep watch on funding timelines and contingency notices.
• WIC administrators often prioritize the most vulnerable if funds run short — pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants with medical needs, and young children with serious nutrition risks. But prioritization is not a substitute for full funding.
• The political battle over broader budget cuts and proposed program trims is ongoing. The White House and some House Republicans have proposed funding levels that advocates argue would reduce WIC capacity; that debate matters for next year’s program reach.

Helpful tips for WIC participants and community partners: check with your local WIC office for updates, stock up on WIC-eligible staples if you can safely do so, and contact local food banks if your clinic gives short-term emergency vouchers. 

Community organizations and tribal agencies — like the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada — often step in fast when federal funds hiccup.

In short: $300 million held a very real line for millions of families. 

It’s a reminder that small-dollar, high-impact programs matter far more than party talking points — and that until Congress sorts out funding, government shutdowns will keep forcing policymakers to cobble together temporary band-aids for programs that can’t wait.

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