Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) grilled U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspector General nominee John Walk about his May 2025 letter to Senator Warnock, wherein he called federal food bank funding a “slush fund.”
Before this nomination, Walk served as Acting Deputy Under Secretary for the Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services when the Administration decided to cut $500 million from food banks. That included 2 million gallons of milk, 27 million pounds of chicken, 67 million eggs, and 10 million pounds of dried fruit that was set to be distributed to millions of American children and families.
Walk said he was not involved in the elimination of that funding, but he was one of the leading voices at USDA defending the decision to members of Congress.
In response to Warnock, Walk said he had no recollection of referring to this funding as a “slush fund.” “You’re not aware of your own letter? That’s a pretty serious accusation that funds intended to go to food banks to support hungry people are a slush fund. Food banks in Georgia disagree with that characterization, I’ll tell you that,” the Senator responded.
Warnock continued to question the nominee but moved on to the recent issue of impending Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) disruptions. Specifically, he questioned why the Trump Administration had refused to distribute contingency SNAP funding.
“There’s nothing legally stopping the administration from making emergency food assistance funds that they’re just sitting on available for Georgia kids and families in November,” Warnock stated. “It is indisputable that the USDA under the Trump Administration is choosing to pull hungry children into this fight.”
Walk didn’t explain why this was the case, claiming that it’s all tied up in litigation. The Senator continued, explaining his perspective that people who rely on SNAP benefits are being used for political leverage.
“They’re not just in this fight,” Warnock argued. “They’re being pulled into this fight, used as pawns for short-term political gain. I think it’s deeply immoral, and I think we can certainly do better than that.”
I am demanding answers on the Trump Admin’s decision to withhold SNAP benefits. Leave hungry children out of this fight. pic.twitter.com/ehH36g34z1
— Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (@SenatorWarnock) October 30, 2025
