CNN This Morning Will Trump Deploy Nuclear Option?
5 snips
Oct 31, 2025 
Elliot Williams, CNN legal analyst and former federal prosecutor, dives into the courts' ability to compel emergency funding amid the government shutdown. Daniel Dermer, founder of Dermer Dreams, passionately discusses grassroots food drives addressing the rising hunger crisis as SNAP benefits face expiration. Lulu Garcia-Navarro adds her insights into the political dynamics surrounding immigration questions faced by the vice president, shedding light on broader cultural themes. Together, they explore pressing legal and humanitarian challenges.
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Shutdown's Immediate Human Toll
- The shutdown will immediately cut SNAP, WIC, and Head Start, threatening millions with hunger and lost services.
- Audie Cornish emphasizes the human cost and urgency beyond political debates.
Courts Versus Executive Power
- Courts face a constitutional tension over ordering the executive to spend emergency funds during the shutdown.
- Elliot Williams frames the question as whether judges can force the government to act in political domains.
Fed Worker Forced To Seek Aid
- A long-time FDA employee described humiliation having to stand in line for food during the shutdown.
- Her story illustrates federal workers' emotional and financial strain from unpaid labor.
