The federal government shutdown has been going on for a while, and it seems like it’s really making people upset. All over social media, like TikTok, X, and Facebook are videos of frustrated SNAP recipients saying that if they don’t receive their benefits by November, they will just steal groceries from Walmart or other stores.
These videos are amassing millions of views and making people angry because of the frozen EBT payments. Some people are even vowing to steal groceries from the people in the stores. This is really alarming for stores, law enforcement, and food insecurity advocates amid an already tense economic backdrop.
The threats emerged as states warn that SNAP, aiding 42 million Americans with an average $291 monthly for a single person, could see no new funds loaded on Nov. 1 without a budget deal. October allotments remain usable, but the lapse ties to broader cuts from July’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which tightened work rules and utility deductions, trimming benefits for hundreds of thousands.
Experts like those at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities fear a 25% food insecurity jump, straining pantries and potentially fueling real-world crime.
On X, a clip posted by user @matttttt187 has over 2,100 views, showing a man ranting: “I’m going in the f***ing Walmart. I’m gonna rack up any d*mn thing I want and throw that sh*t right in the basket… I’m not paying for a damn thing.”
He blames the shutdown for yanking EBT, declaring, “Y’all got the game all the way f****d up,” before vowing holiday thefts.
Another X video, shared by West Virginia politician Derrick Evans with nearly 1 million views, features a woman fuming over her benefits slashed from $738 to $85: “So when y’all see me in their mother f***ing store stealing stuff… I’m walking out of this motherf***er store with my motherf***in chest up.” https://x.com/DerrickEvans4WV/status/1974507872294744282
She dares staff to intervene, tying her threats to inflation and policy cuts.
TikTok trends like “food-stamps-in-walmart” amplify the unrest, with users echoing shutdown fears. One video warns of “starting to steal out of Walmart,” garnering widespread shares as women vent about lost aid.
Another clip shows a woman talking about how an employee had to leave work early because of how people were trying to overrun the store. She claimed, “They were tearing the store up, people stealing everything…”
Facebook posts push the narrative further. Conservative commentator David J. Harris Jr. shared a rant where a woman declares she’s “going to start STEALING food” sans SNAP, sparking debates on entitlement. https://www.facebook.com/DavidJHarrisJr/posts/this-woman-says-shes-going-to-start-stealing-food-because-she-wont-be-receiving-/1373944124304125/
An Off Topic Show video dissects a mom’s threat: “I’ll snatch food from people walking to their car after they bought their stuff.” https://www.facebook.com/OfficialOffTopicShow/videos/ebt-moms-desperate-threat-ill-snatch-groceries-from-shoppers-cars-when-food-stam/1151009159843011/
These echo broader posts urging “mass theft” at Walmart doors.
Walmart hasn’t said anything publicly, but sources within the company say they’re adding more security in high-risk areas. They’re putting extra guards on duty and closing up early so people can be safe. State leaders like Illinois’ JB Pritzker are calling out the issue and asking for the federal government to step in while food banks are getting ready for an increase in demand. So far, no big incidents have been reported, but experts think that there might be copycat robberies, which could drive up prices or force stores to leave neighborhoods.
This viral wave showcases the fragility of SNAP, a program initially designed to combat hunger. Now, however, it is bringing attention to desperation. As discussions come to a standstill, families are confronted with tough decisions, but these looming threats may change sympathy into scrutiny. For the time being, the disorder is digital; the actual challenge is ahead, come November 1.
