Trump unleashed chaos by freezing and unfreezing $3tn in federal grants and loans. Why? | Robert Reich
www.theguardian.com
These new initiatives are not about shrinking the size of the federal government. They’re about centralizing control in Trump’s hands

Summary

Trump briefly froze $3 trillion in federal grants and loans, causing widespread disruption before rescinding the order amid legal challenges.

Critics argue the move, alongside recent freezes on DEI programs and foreign aid, is part of a broader effort to consolidate executive power.

Trump’s nominee for the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought, is expected to implement a more structured version of the freeze.

Trump’s actions, including incentivizing federal worker resignations, signal a shift toward oligarchic control.

  • 𝔻𝕒𝕧𝕖
    36•9 hours ago

    I think it’s quite simple, akin to the psychological negotiation technique called priming.

    He does all this absolutely unhinged stuff and when later he comes up with proposals that are 30% less insane, it doesn’t sound that bad, even if by absolute standards it’s still batshit crazy.