Washington (AP) Less than two days after it caused nationwide confusion and legal challenges, President Donald Trump’s budget office revoked an order on Wednesday that froze spending on government grants, according to two people familiar with the situation.
The White House was left scrambling to clarify what would and wouldn’t be subject to a funding pause after the Office of Management and Budget issued an order Monday evening that raised questions about a vital financial lifeline for states, schools, and organizations that depend on trillions of dollars from Washington.
In a two-sentence notification to agencies and departments on Wednesday, the OMB revoked the order, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal guidance.
Democratic opponents of the order quickly praised the move.
“This is an important victory for the American people whose voices were heard after massive pressure from every corner of this country real people made a difference by speaking out,” said Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash. “Still, the Trump administration through a combination of sheer incompetence, cruel intentions, and a willful disregard of the law caused real harm and chaos for millions over the span of the last 48 hours which is still ongoing.”
