'Backs down with a whimper': Trump slammed as 'agent of chaos' after OMB rescinds funding freeze

29 January

President Donald Trump set off yet another controversy when, on Tuesday, January 28, he declared a federal government funding freeze. Many Democrats were quick to express their outrage, arguing that he had no right to do that — as the funds in question had already been approved by Congress.

But the following day, a brief memo from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) informed federal workers that the freeze had been "rescinded." The memo didn't offer a lot of details but read, "If you have questions about implementing the President's Executive Orders, please contact your agency General Counsel."

White House Press secretary Karoline Leavitt, however, is saying that the freeze has not been rescinded.

In a Wednesday afternoon, January 29 post on X, formerly twitter, Leavitt wrote, "This is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze. It is simply a rescission of the OMB memo. Why? To end any confusion created by the court's injunction. The President's EO's on federal funding remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented."

MSNBC's Michael A. Cohen tweeted, in response, "Even for the White House, this is impressive lying. The OMB memo is the federal funding freeze. It has been rescinded. Not happening. Trump's EO on federal funding is something different."

Politico's Kyle Cheney, responding to Leavitt's tweet, wrote, "This is causing widespread confusion -- but we may get clarity in an hour when DOJ has to represent to a federal court what is going on here."

The memo announcing the rescinding of the freeze is getting many other reactions on X. And a word that is being used a lot is "chaos."

Daily Kos reporter Emily C. Singer tweeted, "After causing chaos to order a blatantly unconstitutional freeze on congressionally appropriated funds, the Trump administration backs down with a whimper."

NBC News' Peter Alexander tweeted a copy of the memo, noting, " Trump’s White House OMB rescinds federal aid freeze."

Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colorado) posted, "House Republicans spent the past 24 hours shamelessly defending President Trump's unconstitutional funding freeze — only for him to rescind it this morning!"

Bloomberg News noted that the order, before it was rescinded, froze "an array of federal grants, loans and financial assistance in a dramatic reversal."

Democratic activist Ron Smith commented, "We need to put more pressure on him so he can at least start listening to the American people."

Another Democratic activist, Lucas Sanders, wrote, "BREAKING: Donald Trump has officially released a memo rescinding his federal freeze of grants and loans. Thank you to everyone for speaking out."

WCTV Eyewitness News in Tallahassee, Florida posted, "President Trump's budget office Wednesday rescinded an order freezing spending on federal grants, less than two days after it sparked widespread confusion and legal challenges across the country, according to two people familiar with the matter."

Pathfinder Research founder Derek Martin remarked, "This OMB order was so misguided that the Trump admin rescinded it in 48 hours. These people aren't revolutionaries, they're uninformed trolls who got the key to the castle. They won't be able to help you're family because *they don't know how to.*"

The group New York Women for Action tweeted, "CHAOS. Trump White House reverses course, rescinds freeze on federal grants after Americans deluge Washington with angry posts, calls, letters."

Tracie Delgado, a professor at Seattle Pacific University, commented, "Looks like we are back in business. Now that was chaotic."

Documentary filmmaker/historian Dan Manatt wrote, "NOW DEMS: ATTACK! Trump is Emperor of Chaos Trump White House reverses course, rescinds freeze on federal grants."

Read the full Cleveland.com article at this link.

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