Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins Faces Fire Over SNAP Costume Post
The post featured a fake costume of a Black man labeled a fraudster, drawing sharp criticism from online users who cited racial stereotypes and recent presidential pardons.
By Charlotte Dubois ·
Brooke Rollins, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, posted a graphic on X on Saturday that quickly became a focal point for political criticism. The image displayed a mock Spirit Halloween costume of a Black man with the label “SNAP Fraudster.”
The post tied the visual to the administration’s ongoing efforts to identify waste and abuse in social programs. Rollins accompanied the image with text stating, “Some costumes come with a price tag. This one comes with a prison sentence. To anyone stealing from American taxpayers: The tricks are over. The treats are running out. Happy Halloween!”
Critics on social media pointed to the specific choice of a Black man in the image. They argued the depiction echoed long-standing stereotypes, a rhetoric traceable to President Ronald Reagan’s “welfare queen” comments. Many saw the post as a visual shorthand for the cuts made to SNAP benefits and Medicaid under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
The backlash intensified when users highlighted a contradiction in the administration’s fraud-fighting stance. They noted that President Donald Trump had recently pardoned or commuted the sentences of several individuals convicted of fraud. This detail added to the perception that the Halloween post was a political signal rather than a simple seasonal greeting.
The reaction on X turned sharply negative within hours of the post going live. Users described the imagery as “disgusting” and accused the cabinet member of relying on racist tropes. The post remains a central example of the tension between the administration’s messaging on fraud and its actions regarding past convictions.
