Rachel Abrams

So this feels a little bit more deliberate.

And I just sort of wonder what purpose withholding SNAP serves politically is.

How does this fit into sort of the larger agenda of the Trump administration vis-a-vis cutting the government, shrinking the government, cutting programs?

So now that the administration has said that it will comply with a court order and find a way to fund the SNAP program, at least partially, how quickly does that mean that people who receive SNAP benefits will actually see that money in their accounts?

Which makes me wonder, just to go back to West Virginia for a minute, a state that Trump won handily in the last election.

People are angry and people are confused.

They don't understand why they're losing their benefits.

And so it sounds like the political calculation is that this will ultimately benefit Republicans more, especially in the shutdown negotiations.

But do you think that that is correct?

What is your assessment of the political calculation that's been done?

Tony, thank you so much.

We'll be right back.

Here's what else you need to know today.

Kimberly-Clark will buy Kenview, the maker of Tylenol, for $40 billion, a signal that the consumer products giant is betting that the painkiller can weather a barrage of attacks from President Trump and his administration.

The president and others have made unproven claims that the use of Tylenol and other acetaminophen products during pregnancy can lead to autism.

And President Trump weighed in on the race for New York City mayor on the eve of Election Day.

In a social media post, he endorsed former Governor Andrew Cuomo in his uphill battle to defeat Assemblyman Zoran Mandani, the Democratic nominee.

And he vowed to limit federal funds going to New York City if Mandani wins.

Today's episode was reported and produced by Olivia Nat and Anna Foley, with help from Muj Zaydi.

It was edited by Patricia Willans, with help from Paige Cowett, and fact-checked by Susan Lee.