Summary

A federal judge in Rhode Island temporarily blocked Trump’s sweeping domestic spending freeze. The order halted efforts to pause billions in federal funding.

Judge John McConnell Jr. justified his decision by citing a 2013 opinion from Justice Brett Kavanaugh, reinforcing that the president lacks unilateral authority over funds appropriated by Congress.

Trump’s executive orders targeted programs including foreign aid, diversity initiatives, and measures against so-called “gender ideology extremism.”

The ruling raises the prospect that the Supreme Court may soon deem impoundment efforts unconstitutional, potentially undermining Trump’s broader fiscal policies.