A federal decide in Rhode Island has formally blocked the Trump administration’s spending freeze, saying in an order this afternoon that the funding freeze is probably going a violation of the Structure.
“In the course of the pendency of the Short-term Restraining Order, Defendants shall not pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate Defendants’ compliance with awards and obligations to offer federal monetary help to the States, and Defendants shall not impede the States’ entry to such awards and obligations, besides on the premise of the relevant authorizing statutes, rules, and phrases,” Decide John McConnell Jr. wrote.
President Donald Trump solutions a query after signing an govt order within the Oval Workplace on the White Home in Washington, Jan. 31, 2025.
Carlos Barria/Reuters
“The Court docket finds that the report now earlier than it substantiates the probability of a profitable declare that the Govt’s actions violate the Structure and statutes of the US,” he added within the 13-page choice within the lawsuit filed by 22 state attorneys basic.
Earlier this week, McConnell signaled he would challenge a brief restraining order barring the Trump administration from freezing federal loans and grants, elevating issues the White Home would attempt to enact the identical coverage described within the now-rescinded Workplace of Administration and Finances.
The administration issued the memo Monday night time and gave companies a 5 p.m. deadline on Wednesday, nonetheless, a Washington, D.C., federal decide quickly blocked it from going by way of following a lawsuit.
Even after the OMB rescinded the memo on Wednesday, White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X, claiming, “That is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze. It’s merely a rescission of the OMB memo. Why? To finish any confusion created by the court docket’s injunction. The President’s EO’s on federal funding stay in full power and impact and might be rigorously applied.”
White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks throughout a press briefing on the White Home, Jan. 31, 2025, in Washington.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
The put up by Leavitt, and potential try and sidestep an injunction, drew point out in McConnell’s order, with him writing, “Defendants shall even be restrained and prohibited from reissuing, adopting, implementing, or in any other case giving impact to the OMB Directive underneath another title or title or by way of another Defendants (or company supervised, administered, or managed by any Defendant), such because the continued implementation recognized by the White Home Press Secretary’s assertion of January 29, 2025.”
McConnell had harsh phrases for the Trump administration and justified his order — regardless of the OMB’s change of coverage — based mostly on Leavitt’s put up.
“The proof exhibits that the alleged rescission of the OMB Directive was in name-only and should have been issued merely to defeat the jurisdiction of the courts,” he wrote.
It is a creating story. Please test again for updates.