“Timothy Mellon, a reclusive billionaire and a major financial backer of President Trump, is the anonymous private donor who gave $130 million to the U.S. government to help pay troops during the shutdown,” the New York Times reports.

“The Trump administration does not believe it can shuffle money around to fund SNAP benefits into November,” Punchbowl News reports.

“The White House has spent the last few weeks trying to figure out if it could backfill SNAP accounts before they run out of money Nov. 1. But White House officials determined they do not have the authority to do so… Democrats will certainly disagree with this analysis.”

Axios: USDA says it can’t use emergency funds for food stamps.

“The Defense Department confirmed that the Trump administration plans to funnel a $130 million donation from an anonymous ally of President Donald Trump toward paying military service members during the government shutdown,” CNN reports.

“The move marks a striking departure from government procedure for funding the military, which traditionally relies on public funds appropriated by Congress.”

Millions of Social Security recipients will see a 2.8 percent cost-of-living increase in their monthly checks next year, the Washington Post reports.

President Trump said a private donor has contributed $130 million to cover potential military pay shortfalls during the government shutdown, calling the contributor a “patriot” and “friend,” while declining to name them, Reuters reports.

Punchbowl News: “The White House isn’t interested at all in extending the enhanced premium Obamacare tax credits at the center of the shutdown fight… it doesn’t seem as if Trump is anywhere close to folding or beginning negotiations with Democrats.”

“Missed paychecks, canceled infrastructure projects and mass firings haven’t yet convinced congressional Democrats to change their government shutdown stance. But they are now facing down another pressure point threatening a program they’ve long championed benefiting millions of Americans,” Politico reports.

“The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps feed more than 40 million people, will start to run out of funds Nov. 1.”

A new Quinnipiac poll finds 45% of registered voters think Republicans in Congress are more responsible for the government shutdown, while 39% think Democrats in Congress are more responsible and 11% volunteered that they think both parties are equally responsible

“The temporary seven-week funding patch Republicans passed in October to help finish appropriations bills has quickly become a four-week patch,” NOTUS reports.

“Whether the next CR gets pushed back a few weeks or through the beginning of 2026 is a matter of debate among Republicans. But there is a broad belief there will need to be some kind of extension regardless, given that Speaker Mike Johnson has kept the House in recess while the shutdown drags on.”

“Millions of Americans are at risk of losing food stamp benefits before the end of this month if the government shutdown continues, officials in several states have warned, signaling further financial stress for lower-income families already facing slashed federal food program budgets and rising food costs,” the Washington Post reports.

An internal Democratic poll finds a very slim plurality of voters blame Republicans for the continuing government shutdown, 45% to 42%.

“When House Republicans first passed a stopgap spending bill last month, it was written to give Congress a seven-week window to come to a long-term deal on government funding,” Politico reports.

“With the government shutdown now running into a fourth week, that original Nov. 21 deadline is looming fast — and numerous Republicans acknowledged Monday a new, longer stopgap bill will be needed.”

Adam Serwer: “Toward the end of the Biden administration, conservatives, fed up with the supposed imposition of liberal ideas by ‘woke capital,’ tried to create what The Economist described as a ‘parallel economy’ in which one could buy ‘anti-woke’ versions of goods such as beer and razors. Those products might come at a premium, but if that was the price of your beliefs, you were free to pay it.”

“Now, in Donald Trump’s second administration, that parallel economy is just the economy. Trumpist culture wars have made almost everything more expensive, effectively forcing all Americans to pay an anti-woke tax. Although conservatives usually use woke to describe some form of egalitarianism they oppose, it’s proved such an effective epithet that they’re now applying the label to anything they need their constituents to dislike.”

“Influential conservative groups with deep pockets are pushing Republicans to demand steep concessions from Democrats in exchange for extending health care subsidies, a move that risks prolonging a US government shutdown now in its 20th day,” Bloomberg reports.

“Activists on the right, including the billionaire Koch family’s political arm, are running ads and holding meetings to pressure Republicans to stave off Democrats’ demands. If they must negotiate, these groups argue, Republicans should at least leverage any health care talks to score political wins on abortion and other priorities resisted by Democrats.”

“President Donald Trump and his top officials have repeatedly promised to tap the billions of dollars collected from their historic tariff hikes for key priorities like troop pay, nutrition assistance and farmer bailouts. That’s not how it works,” Politico reports.

“The administration has brought in about $200 billion in tariff revenue so far this year, cash the president and members of his Cabinet have boasted is a sign their tariff hikes are succeeding — and have suggested they can now use at their discretion.”

“President Trump has repurposed money to fund military salaries during the government shutdown. He has pledged to find ways to make sure many in law enforcement get paid. He has used the fiscal impasse to halt funding to Democratic jurisdictions, and is trying to lay off thousands of federal workers,” the New York Times reports.

“Government shutdowns are usually resolved only after the pain they inflict on everyday Americans forces elected officials in Washington to come to an agreement. But as the shutdown nears a fourth week, Mr. Trump’s actions have instead reduced the pressure for an immediate resolution and pushed his political opponents to further dig in.”

White House budget director Russell Vought said that the Trump administration will freeze another $11 billion worth of infrastructure projects in Democratic-leaning cities due to the ongoing government shutdown.