Trump Federal Funding Freeze Order Sows Confusion, Fear

KQED's Forum

A federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump’s order to freeze federal grants and loans on Tuesday, as Medicaid and other programs experienced interruptions causing chaos and confusion. The Trump administration’s directive could halt trillions of dollars in federal funds while agencies are directed to ensure financial assistance doesn’t conflict with administration ideology. California’s Attorney General and 22 other states have sued to stop the freeze, saying it is an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers. We’ll talk about what could be affected by the funding order, which is halted until at least Monday, the legality of Trump’s action, and the efforts to fight it.

Guests:

Samuel R. Bagenstos, professor of law, University of Michigan Law School; former general counsel, White House Office of Management and Budget

Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer, Slate magazine

Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED, co-host of KQED's Political Breakdown