A federal judge on Wednesday reaffirmed his temporary restraining order against the Trump administration’s efforts to freeze billions of dollars in federal grants and loans, but clarified that President Donald Trump does have the authority to pause federal spending if it complies with existing regulations.
Judge John J. McConnell Jr. previously ruled that the White House defied his recent court order to unfreeze the billions of dollars in aid, which stems from funds that were expected to be paused by the Office of Management and Budget.
The Trump administration appealed McConnell’s earlier decision on Monday, but a federal appeals court declined to hear the case and urged McConnell to clarify his order quickly to avoid any further confusion.
McConnell on Wednesday stated that the federal government, including the president, does still have the right to pause federal spending, but has to do so in accordance with preexisting laws, the Washington Examiner reported.
“The [court’s previous order] does not bar both the President and much of the Federal Government from exercising their own lawful authorities to withhold funding,” McConnell wrote. […]
— Read More: justthenews.com
