Before the White House reversed course on President Donald Trump‘s executive order to pause widespread federal funding for grants, loans and other assistance programs, a coalition of nonprofit organizations asked a federal judge Tuesday to block it from going into effect.
U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan temporarily paused the order, which had caused nation-wide confusion among government agencies, states and other organizations that receive money from the federal government.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during her first press briefing Tuesday that the order to pause federal funding payments was to allow the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to review the federal payments and to make sure “they align with the president’s agenda.”
The White House issued a fact sheet that said “any program that provides direct benefits to Americans” — like Social Security, Medicare and food stamps — “is explicitly excluded.”
After Judge AliKhan’s decision, attorneys general from 22 states and the District of Columbia filed their own challenge in federal court. New York Attorney General Letitia James was the lead AG in the lawsuit.
James, who charged Trump (and his sons and the Trump Organization) with fraud in 2022, said the presidential executive order “jeopardizing state funds will put Americans in danger by depriving law enforcement of much-needed resources. OMB’s policy would pause support for the U.S. Department of Justice’s initiatives to combat hate crimes and violence against women, support community policing, and provide services to victims of crimes.”
U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) also voiced grave concern for vital organizations including a domestic violence shelter in his state. Warner reported on X: “My office just got a phone call from a domestic violence shelter — the only one serving multiple counties — that says they may have to close their doors if President Trump doesn’t reverse course.”
My office just got a phone call from a domestic violence shelter — the only one serving multiple counties — that says they may have to close their doors if President Trump doesn’t reverse course.
— Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) January 28, 2025
MAGA supporters in the comments responded to Warner’s claim with suspicion, denigrating his claim as untrue. More than one accused the Senator of “lying” and others goaded Warner to “name of the person and shelter because they are lying to you OR you are lying to us.” Warner declined to give the name in response.
Note: Many domestic violence shelters keep their locations confidential as many of those seeking refugee in the shelters do not want to be found by their abusers.
The other Attorneys General involved in the lawsuit represent Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.