Washington:
Donald Trump’s White House ordered a break in all federal subsidies and loans as of Tuesday, a radical decision that could interrupt the medical education and medical care programs, housing assistance, disaster relief and a series of other initiatives that depend of billions of federal dollars.
In a memorandum on Monday, the interim chief of the Office of Administration and Budget, which supervises the federal budget, said the money would be suspended while the Trump administration reviews subsidies and loans to ensure that they are aligned with the president’s priorities, including the Executive orders signed last week ended the programs of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
Matthew Vaeth, the interim director, said that the use of federal resources for policies disagree with the president’s agenda “is a waste of taxpayers who do not improve the daily life of those we serve.”
The memorandum said that freezing included any money destined “for foreign aid” and for “non -governmental organizations”, among other categories.
The White House said the pause would not affect social security or Medicare payments or “assistance provided directly to people.” Presumably, that would save food aid for payments of the poor and disability, although it was not clear if medical care programs for veterans and low -income people would be affected.
The OMB memorandum said the Federal Government spent almost $ 10 billion in fiscal year 2024, with more than $ 3 billion dedicated to financial assistance, such as subsidies and loans. But the source of those figures was not clear: the non -partisan Congress budget office estimated government expenditure in 2024 with $ 6.75 billion much lower.
The memorandum is the last directive in the Trump administration campaign to drastically remodel the federal government, the largest employer in the nation.
In a snowstorm of executive actions last week, the new president closed all diversity programs, imposed a freezing freezing, sent national security officials to his home, ordered a pause in foreign aid and sought to eliminate the labor protections of thousands of officials.
The freezing of expenses ordered by OMB enters into force at 5 PM ET (2200 GMT) on Tuesday. The agencies have until February 10 to send detailed information about any program subject to the suspension.
Democrats challenge the ‘illegal’ movement
The federal government provides money to a wide strip of non -profit organizations, many of which reacted with dismay.
“This order is a possible fire of five alarms for non -profit organizations and the people and communities they serve,” said Diane Yentel, president and executive director of the National Council of Non -Profit Organizations, in a statement. “From stopping the investigation into priests for childhood cancer to stop food assistance, the security of domestic violence and close suicidal lines, the impact of even a brief break on financing could be devastating and cost lives.”
The Democrats immediately challenged Trump’s action as illegal and dangerous.
In a letter to Vaeth on Monday night, American senator Patty Murray and American representative Rose Delaur the country “.
“We wrote today to urge it in the most solid terms to defend the law and the Constitution and ensure that all federal resources are delivered in accordance with the law,” the Democrats wrote.
The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, said the administration did not have the authority to stop the expense that had been approved by Congress and that the order, if implemented, would damage millions of Americans.
“It will mean lost payrolls and rental payments and everything else: chaos for everything from universities to non -profit beneficial organizations, state disaster assistance, application of local law, help for the elderly and food for those in need,” said Schumer in an X publish for the last time on Monday.
American representative Tom Emmer, Republican number 3 in the House of Representatives, said Trump was simply following his campaign promises.
“You must understand that he was chosen to shake the status quo. That is what he is going to do. It will not be a business as usual,” Emmer told reporters in a retirement of republican policies in Miami.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a union feed).