Summary
Donald Trump has ordered a freeze on domestic and foreign federal aid to align funding with his conservative agenda.
A memo from the Office of Management and Budget instructed federal agencies to pause aid related to foreign assistance, DEI initiatives, “woke” causes, and the Green New Deal while preserving Social Security, Medicare, and direct payments.
The freeze, which could affect billions in aid, sparked immediate backlash from Democratic leaders, who called it unconstitutional.
Trump framed the freeze as part of a swift rollback of Biden-era policies.
I’m fairly certain if this is allowed, that’s curtain call. He doesn’t control those pursestrings, as they were laws passed by Congress.
ie, this is illegal.
So was withholding the ATGMs for Ukraine in 2019
And so was Jan6. And here we are.
So, if it is illegal, what’s going to be done about it?
The republicans won’t turn on him, the Democrats don’t have the numbers to impeach, and the SCOTUS rule against him.
“We will make it legal.”
-SCOTUS
Listen I hate Trump and basically everything he stands for. However, the executive has wide latitude in doling out, dividing up, and distributing funds. Congress writes a check and it’s up to the executive to implement the plan. The executive is a gigantic sprawling bureaucracy that exists as a necessity because Congress writes laws in “broad” strokes and leaves the minutiae up to the many executive agencies.
is this horrific? Yes. Is it unconstitutional? I have significant doubt
e: from another comment I made
Congress controls the budget. The executive gives a plan but Congress chooses how it is implemented. That’s why we got ACA instead of M4A. It’s why Congress voted on aid to Ukraine and Israel.
The executive does have control over some purse strings but not these direct budgets.