Betty Szretter, a 63-year-old woman from Ohio, once proudly called herself a loyal supporter of Donald Trump. She voted for him twice, attended rallies, and believed deeply in his promise to fight for “everyday Americans.” But now, as she sits at her kitchen table surrounded by unopened bills and an almost empty fridge, she can’t help but wonder if she made a terrible mistake.
For years, Betty has cared for her 26-year-old daughter, Hannah, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a child and now struggles with a severe mental health condition that prevents her from working. The two of them survive mostly on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — better known as SNAP — which provides them about $300 each month for groceries. It’s not much, but it helps them get by.
Now, with the federal government shutdown dragging on for weeks, that lifeline is slipping away. The food benefits they rely on are about to vanish, and Betty is terrified. “We were sure he’d help people like us,” she said softly during an interview. “Now we’re the ones being left behind.”
SNAP currently supports about 42 million Americans, many of them families just like Betty’s, already struggling to make ends meet. As the shutdown continues, funding for the program has been frozen, forcing federal courts to pressure the administration to release emergency money just to keep it running temporarily. But time is running out, and millions could soon face empty shelves and hungry nights — right as the holidays approach.
To Betty, the government’s actions feel cold and disconnected. “It all seems very selfish,” she told CNN, shaking her head. “While we’re here wondering how to eat next week, they’re talking about fancy projects and ballrooms.”
Her frustration grew when she saw the news that President Trump, in the middle of the crisis, was overseas on a diplomatic tour in Asia while reportedly overseeing a $300 million construction of a new ballroom on the White House grounds. For Betty, that contrast hit hard. “I think instead of focusing on ballrooms for the president, they should be thinking about dining rooms for families like mine,” she said.
She’s not the only one who feels abandoned. A new ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that 45 percent of Americans blame Trump and congressional Republicans for the shutdown, while 33 percent blame Democrats. More than 60 percent now say they disapprove of how Trump is handling the situation. For many who once supported him, that disappointment feels deeply personal.
“When you’re in this kind of situation, headlines don’t matter,” Betty said. “People just want food in the fridge. That’s what he promised us — that he’d look out for working Americans. But it doesn’t feel that way now.”
The effects of the shutdown are already spreading far beyond her home. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed or are working without pay. Economists estimate that the shutdown is costing the U.S. billions every week it continues. Critics accuse the administration of using the freeze as a political weapon, punishing citizens to pressure Congress into bending to its demands. The White House has the power to release emergency reserves to cover food aid, but so far, it hasn’t acted.
For Betty, these policy decisions aren’t distant political arguments — they’re a matter of survival. Without SNAP, she and Hannah have to stretch every penny. Hannah’s diabetes requires careful meal planning and constant monitoring of her blood sugar, and without proper food, her health could decline quickly. “Keeping her stable takes more than love,” Betty said quietly. “It takes food, medicine, and hope. And right now, we’re running low on all three.”
She still remembers the excitement she felt when she voted for Trump the first time — how she believed he would be a fighter for people like her, forgotten by the system. But now, that faith feels shattered. “I really thought I was doing the right thing,” she said. “I believed he meant what he said about helping regular Americans. Now, I’m just watching everything fall apart.”
As the shutdown drags on with no end in sight, Betty has started visiting local food banks and leaning on neighbors for help. She’s not angry — just heartbroken. What once felt like loyalty now feels like betrayal. “I supported him because I thought he cared,” she said. “But now I see that we were just used. And while they argue in Washington, families like mine are the ones paying the price.”
She paused for a long moment before adding, “I used to believe in him completely. Now, I just hope we can make it through the month without going hungry.”
Betty’s story is one among millions — a quiet reminder that behind every political battle in Washington are real people struggling to survive. And as she looks at her daughter, she can’t help but think of how different things might have been if those promises hadn’t been broken.
