(Ben Sellers, Headline USA) A prominent advocate for the Make America Healthy Again movement suggested that 7-Eleven’s closure of 645 underperforming North America locations may be linked to the Trump administration’s cutback of government-subsidies for unhealthy snacks.
“Wait it’s all fraud. Always has been,” said a meme accompanying the post from Heart & Soil, which suggested the once ubiquitous chain of Texas-based convenience stores was being buoyed by the government through food stamps.
*No more EBT for Soda or Candy*
*7-Eleven begins aggressively closing stores*
*Realize 7-Eleven was subsidized* https://t.co/2JGxbdXCVo pic.twitter.com/WMK3iZTcud
— Heart & Soil (@heartandsoilHQ) April 17, 2026
Under the stewardship of Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Sec. Brooke Rollins, 22 states have been granted waivers to restrict the purchase of items including candy, sweetened drinks and processed foods through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
This week, I joined @SecRollins, @GovBraun, @SarahHuckabee, and @RepJimBaird at a historic waiver signing to remove junk food from SNAP in Arkansas, Idaho, and Utah. President Trump has asked us to Make America Healthy Again, and it starts by promoting healthier behaviors and… pic.twitter.com/sAZXer02Kc
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) June 13, 2025
Financial disclosures did not directly address the decision by Seven & i Holdings Co., 7-Eleven’s Japanese parent company, to shutter the locations, many of which will be converted to “wholesale fuel stores,” according to the Associated Press.
The company still oversees some 86,000 7-Eleven stores, including 13,000 branches in North America.
Some of the decline may be attributable to the growth in competitive chains like Sheetz, Wawa and Buc-ees, which have followed 7-Eleven’s business model of round-the-clock convenience while improving the quality and variety of food offerings.
The April 9 report from Seven & i also suggested inflation may be to blame.
“[A]lthough the economy remained robust, personal consumption also began to soften … particularly among low-income households, as inflation continued to weigh on spending,” it said.
New CEO Stephen Hayes Dacus is overseeing efforts to freshen up the chain — literally — by investing in more fresh food offerings and expanding its delivery service, 7NOW.
Ben Sellers is a freelance writer and former editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/realbensellers.
