Keith Mack
Last night, Donald Trump froze all federal grants and loans across the government, impacting trillions of dollars and millions of people in every community across the country. This unprecedented move has caused widespread confusion and uncertainty, and could jeopardise funding for everything from disaster relief to school lunch programs. But is this illegal? And what other laws has Trump broken during his time in office?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 23rd January 2020 |
| Law broken | Impoundment Control Act |
| Action | Withholding $214 million of Defence Department aid for Ukraine |
| --- | --- |
| Impact | Funding for disaster relief, home heating assistance for the elderly, drinking water safety, grid improvements, school lunch programs, and the National Suicide Prevention Hotline |
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What You'll Learn
- Trump froze federal grants and loans, impacting trillions of dollars and millions of people
- Trump violated the Impoundment Control Act by withholding $214 million of Defence Department aid for Ukraine
- The White House Office of Management and Budget blocked military aid under direct orders from Trump
- Trump failed to file a report with Congress
- Trump's actions caused widespread confusion and uncertainty
Trump froze federal grants and loans, impacting trillions of dollars and millions of people
Last night, Donald Trump froze all federal grants and loans across the government, impacting trillions of dollars and millions of people in every community across the country. The unprecedented freeze was announced in a memo from the White House's Office of Management and Budget, which lacked specific details about all that could be impacted, causing widespread confusion and uncertainty. The freeze could jeopardise funding for everything from disaster relief to rebuild communities, home heating assistance for the elderly, funding to keep drinking water safe, grid improvements to prevent widespread blackouts, school lunch programs, and even administration of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.
The Office of Management and Budget blocked the military aid under direct orders from the president and knowingly failed to file a report with Congress. This action by Trump may have violated the Impoundment Control Act, which was passed in 1974 to prevent a rogue president from withholding lawfully appropriated funds. The Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan public auditor, reported that Trump violated the Act by unilaterally withholding $214 million of legislatively appropriated Defense Department aid for Ukraine without obtaining authorization from Congress. Trump disputed the conclusion of the Government Accountability Office, saying that he acted lawfully under his authority to carry out American foreign policy.
The freeze on federal grants and loans has caused widespread concern and uncertainty across the country. It is unclear how long the freeze will last and what the full impact will be. The lack of specific details in the memo from the White House's Office of Management and Budget has only added to the confusion. It is important to note that the freeze could impact a wide range of critical programs and services, including disaster relief, home heating assistance, drinking water safety, and the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.
The White House's Office of Management and Budget has come under scrutiny for its role in the freeze. The office reportedly blocked the military aid under direct orders from the president and failed to file the required paperwork with Congress. This raises questions about the legality of the president's actions and the role of the Office of Management and Budget in carrying out those actions. It remains to be seen what consequences, if any, will arise from this situation.
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Trump violated the Impoundment Control Act by withholding $214 million of Defence Department aid for Ukraine
On the day House managers transmitted two articles of impeachment to the Senate, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that President Trump had violated the Impoundment Control Act. The GAO is a nonpartisan public auditor. The violation took place when Trump withheld $214 million of Defence Department aid for Ukraine without obtaining authorisation from Congress.
The Impoundment Control Act was passed in 1974, at the height of the Watergate scandal, to prevent a rogue president from withholding lawfully appropriated funds. The GAO concluded that:
> Faithful execution of the law does not permit the president to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law.
Trump disputed the GAO's conclusion, saying that he acted lawfully under his authority to carry out American foreign policy. However, the GAO's report was supported by recently released documents. These documents, disclosed through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by American Oversight and unredacted by Just Security, show that the White House Office of Management and Budget blocked the military aid under direct orders from the president. They also show that the Office knowingly failed to file a report with Congress.
In an email, Michael Duffey, associate director for national security programs with the Office of Management and Budget, said there was "clear direction" from the president "to continue to hold". Elaine McCusker, acting comptroller of the Defense Department, had asked Duffey about the status of the impoundment paperwork, but the paperwork never showed.
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The White House Office of Management and Budget blocked military aid under direct orders from Trump
Last night, Donald Trump froze all federal grants and loans across the government, impacting trillions of dollars and millions of people in every community across the country. The White House Office of Management and Budget blocked military aid under direct orders from Trump, and knowingly failed to file a report with Congress.
The unprecedented freeze was announced in a memo from the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, but lacked specific details about all that could be impacted, causing widespread confusion and uncertainty. The freeze could jeopardize funding for everything from disaster relief to rebuild communities, home heating assistance for the elderly, funding to keep drinking water safe, grid improvements to prevent widespread blackouts, school lunch programs, and even administration of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.
The Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan public auditor, reported that Trump violated the Impoundment Control Act by withholding $214 million of legislatively appropriated Defense Department aid for Ukraine without obtaining authorization from Congress. Trump disputed the conclusion, saying that he acted lawfully under his authority to carry out American foreign policy.
Last August, Elaine McCusker, acting comptroller of the Defense Department, asked Michael Duffey, associate director for national security programs with the Office of Management and Budget, “What is the status of the impoundment paperwork?” Duffey replied, “I am not tracking that. Is that something you are expecting?” McCusker said yes, but the paperwork never showed.
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Trump failed to file a report with Congress
Last night, Donald Trump froze all federal grants and loans across the government, impacting trillions of dollars and millions of people in every community across the country. This unprecedented freeze was announced in a memo from the White House's Office of Management and Budget, which lacked specific details about all that could be impacted, causing widespread confusion and uncertainty.
The freeze could jeopardize funding for everything from disaster relief to rebuild communities, home heating assistance for the elderly, funding to keep drinking water safe, grid improvements to prevent widespread blackouts, school lunch programs, and even administration of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.
Trump's actions also violate the Impoundment Control Act, which was passed at the height of the Watergate scandal in 1974 to prevent a rogue president from withholding lawfully appropriated funds. The Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan public auditor, reported that Trump violated the Act by unilaterally withholding $214 million of legislatively appropriated Defense Department aid for Ukraine without obtaining authorization from Congress.
Trump disputed the conclusion of the Government Accountability Office, saying that he acted lawfully under his authority to carry out American foreign policy. However, documents released through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by American Oversight and unredacted by Just Security disclose that the White House Office of Management and Budget had blocked the military aid under direct orders from the president and knowingly failed to file a report with Congress.
This failure to file a report with Congress is a serious matter, as it indicates a lack of transparency and accountability on the part of the president. It also raises questions about the president's respect for the rule of law and the checks and balances inherent in the American political system. By failing to file the report, Trump has made it more difficult for Congress to perform its oversight function and hold the executive branch accountable for its actions. This undermines the fundamental principles of American democracy and sets a dangerous precedent for future administrations.
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Trump's actions caused widespread confusion and uncertainty
Donald Trump's actions last night caused widespread confusion and uncertainty. He froze all federal grants and loans across the government, impacting trillions of dollars and millions of people in every community across the country. The unprecedented freeze, announced in a memo from the White House's Office of Management and Budget, lacked specific details about all that could be impacted. This caused confusion and concern, as the freeze could jeopardise funding for everything from disaster relief to rebuild communities, home heating assistance for the elderly, funding to keep drinking water safe, grid improvements to prevent widespread blackouts, school lunch programs, and even administration of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.
Trump's actions also raised legal concerns, as he may have violated the Impoundment Control Act by unilaterally withholding $214 million of legislatively appropriated Defense Department aid for Ukraine without obtaining authorization from Congress. The Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan public auditor, reported this violation, concluding that "faithful execution of the law does not permit the president to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law". Trump disputed this conclusion, claiming he acted lawfully under his authority to carry out American foreign policy.
The freeze on federal grants and loans and the potential violation of the Impoundment Control Act highlight the uncertainty and confusion caused by Trump's actions. The impact of these decisions is far-reaching, affecting communities, individuals, and critical services across the country. The lack of transparency and disregard for established laws contribute to the uncertainty, as people are left wondering about the implications for their lives and the country's future.
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Frequently asked questions
Trump froze all federal grants and loans across the government, which could jeopardise funding for disaster relief, home heating assistance for the elderly, and school lunch programs.
Trump has been accused of violating the Impoundment Control Act by withholding $214 million of Defence Department aid for Ukraine without obtaining authorisation from Congress.
The Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan public auditor, reported that Trump had violated the Impoundment Control Act. Trump disputed this conclusion, saying that he acted lawfully under his authority to carry out American foreign policy.
