Gov. Huckabee Sanders Urges Trump Administration to Halt Junk Food Purchases in SNAP

The Arkansas governor said the current program allocates a substantial share of its funds to items linked to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic health issues.

A sign alerting customers about SNAP food stamp benefits accessed via EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards at a grocery store in New York City on Dec. 5, 2019. Scott Heins/Getty Images

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has called for an overhaul of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), urging key members of the incoming Trump administration to remove junk food items such as soda, candy, and desserts from the taxpayer-funded program.

In a recent video message posted to social media, Sanders said that redirecting SNAP spending away from unhealthy products could bolster public health and reduce taxpayer costs.