(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump has rescinded a freeze on federal assistance following confusion and pushback against the decision.
A federal judge put a pause on the order Tuesday evening.
The memo from the Office of Management and Budget froze a significant portion of federal financial assistance, creating widespread confusion about which programs could be affected.
The original OMB memo was phrased broadly enough it appeared to encompass most, if not all, government funding. In a press briefing Tuesday, however, the White House said the order applied only to programs specifically addressed by Trump’s executive orders, such as diversity, equity and inclusion programs and the Green New Deal.
The White House also indicated that individual assistance programs like food assistance, rental assistance and Medicaid would not be included; however, all 50 states reported the Medicaid portal was down.
The Trump administration said that the outage was coincidental and not related to the freeze.
There was also behind-the-scenes pushback from Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill, according to a GOP senator.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the memo was rescinded to end confusion caused by the court ruling and “dishonest” media coverage.
“The Executive Orders issued by the President on funding reviews remain in full force and effect and will be rigorously implemented by all agencies and departments. This action should effectively end the court case and allow the government to focus on enforcing the President’s orders on controlling federal spending,” Leavitt said.
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.