White House Budget Office Orders Pause in All Federal Loans and Grants

The White House budget office has ordered a pause in grants, loans and other federal financial assistance, according to a memo sent to government agencies on Monday, potentially paralyzing a vast swath of programs and jeopardizing spending that Congress has mandated by law.

In the two-page memo, Matthew J. Vaeth, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, directed federal agencies to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all federal financial assistance,” and any other programs that included “D.E.I., woke gender ideology and the Green New Deal.”

Mr. Vaeth signaled that the pause, which goes into effect on Tuesday, would continue until at least mid-February, and said that it was needed to ensure federal programs aligned with President Trump’s policy priorities.

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