WASHINGTON — The White House said Tuesday that it will use tariff revenue to avoid shutting off food benefits for about 7 million mothers, pregnant women and young children.

“The Democrats are so cruel in their continual votes to shut down the government that they forced the WIC program for the most vulnerable women and children to run out this week,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.

“Thankfully, President Trump and the White House have identified a creative solution to transfer resources from Section 232 tariff revenue to this critical program. The Trump White House will not allow impoverished mothers and their babies to go hungry because of the Democrats’ political games.”

The WIC program — officially the  Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children — provides funds to low-income families to supplement food purchases until a child’s fifth birthday.

WIC benefits are loaded onto debit cards, but rules restrict users to purchasing baby formula and approved foods like eggs, fruits, milk, vegetables and yogurt. 

The White House did not immediately release more information on the plan, which was announced shortly after President Trump said Democrats have “no leader” who can negotiate an end to the shutdown. 

The program had been expected to run out of funds as early as this week.

WIC operated with an appropriation of $7.6 billion in fiscal 2025, which ended Sept. 30 — making its cost about $146 million per week.

Tariffs boosted by Trump have brought in $190 billion so far this year — much of it under Section 232, which allows for the president to impose levies for national security reasons.

Section 232 has underpinned Trump’s 25% tariff on foreign-made cars and 50% tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper. 

Those tariffs are believed to be less vulnerable to legal challenges than “reciprocal” tariffs that took effect in August under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act following the adoption of a 10% baseline for most countries in April.