On Monday, the Trump regime issued a memo freezing all federal grants, loans, and assistance.

The memo was stupid, dangerous, and illegal.

And now it is no more.

Earlier today — following massive public resistance, including from groups like Public Citizen and many, many others — the administration canceled the spending freeze.

Here’s what happened:

• Although it purported to impact $3 trillion in federal spending, the memo was written more like an angry late-night tweet than a legally binding directive.

• No one knew exactly what it covered, but it seemed incredibly expansive.

• Medicaid payments, funding for domestic violence shelters, money for farmers, highway construction funding, payments for local Meals on Wheels programs, and much, much more seemed about to be suspended.

• People and organizations around the country rose up in fury.

• Then, in rapid order, the administration “clarified” that the memo did not apply to benefits like Medicaid, was hit with a temporary injunction blocking implementation, and then — just a short time ago — rescinded the memo altogether.

This is a vital win because it preserves funding for countless essential programs and services across the country. The funding freeze would have devastated families and communities.

And it is also crucial because it shows the lie of the onslaught that Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and the Trump minions are inflicting on us.

The Trump regime wants to create the illusion that its power is unlimited and its actions are inevitable. We just showed that is not the case at all.

This is a lesson we need to keep in mind and act on constantly.

This will not be the last fight over Trump’s effort to freeze or divert spending Congress has already directed.

And we will soon face massive fights over spending cuts for the poor and vulnerable, tax cuts for billionaires and Big Business, more money for the military-industrial complex, and more handouts to Big Oil.

So we have to make sure members of Congress get the message, too.

Tell Congress:

The victory on Trump’s illegal and dangerous funding freeze shows the power of standing up. Trump’s policies are dangerous and unpopular. If you confront Trump, the American people will side with you and defeat his authoritarianism, his cruelty, and his giveaways to the billionaire class.

Click to add your name now.

Thanks for taking action.

For progress,

- Robert Weissman & Lisa Gilbert, Co-Presidents of Public Citizen
 
 
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