Mamdani Praises Trump for Giving Bodegas 90-Day Extension on Updated SNAP Rules: 'Delivered Relief to Small Business Owners'

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani praised President Donald Trump for agreeing to give grocery stores and bodegas a 90-day extension to comply with new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rules. During a press conference, Mamdani shared that he had spoken to Trump and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. Mamdani added that “as a result of those conversations” Trump agreed “to give small business owners at least a 90-day extension” to comply with a rule that requires SNAP-accepting grocery stores to “include seven varieties” in each of four categories: dairy, grains, proteins, and fruits and vegetables. “We are together to announce a victory on behalf of working people and small business owners, both here in our city and across the country. I’ve spoken to President Trump and Secretary Rollins,” Mamdani said, “and as a result of those conversations, the President has agreed to give small business owners at least a 90-day extension to comply with a rule that would have affected tens of thousands of SNAP-accepting grocery stores and bodegas nationwide.” “That extension starts today,” Mamdani continued. “I want to thank the president and the secretary for their consideration of New Yorkers and the hardships that this would’ve imposed on millions of Americans. In doing this, President Trump has delivered relief to small business owners across our city and across America.” Mamdani said that the agreement was reached after the Department of Agriculture (USDA) “issued guidance on new rules” on September 4, which instructed grocery retailers on what they “had to stock in order to maintain SNAP authorization.” “These were significantly expanded standards, mandating that retail locations include seven varieties of food in four different categories: dairy, grains, proteins, and fruits and vegetables,” Mamdani explained. “For corporate grocery giants, these requirements posed little challenge. But the story was different for our neighborhood corner stores and bodegas.” The announcement from Mamdani comes after he asked Rollins for a “six-month delay for stores to adhere to the new guidelines,” the New York Post reported. Mamdani explained that he had “requested the extension after owners of 100 of the Big Apple’s more than 10,000 bodegas reached out to City Hall,” according to the outlet.