The U.S. Department of Agriculture told states Friday it was releasing full November funding for the nation’s major food assistance program that helps 42 million people afford groceries, complying with a federal court order issued Thursday.

The midday memo to states contradicted the Trump administration’s weeks-long position that funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, during the government shutdown was illegal. And late Friday, the administration resumed that position, asking the Supreme Court to overturn a lower court’s ruling that compelled the earlier memo.

Payments would be sent to states Friday, the department’s Food and Nutrition Service said in a letter to state directors of SNAP, which is funded by the federal government and administered by the states. Pa

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