Federal judge blocks funding freeze on federal spending, accuses Trump of placing himself 'above Congress'

A federal district judge in the United States, John McConnell, ruled in favor of 23 states suing the Trump administration over a directive seeking to freeze broad swaths of federal spending approved by Congress.

In a 45-page order issued Thursday, McConnell indefinitely extended a preliminary injunction against the measure, arguing that the executive action threatened constitutional separation-of-powers principles and represented an attempt by the administration to place itself above legislative authority.

The ruling by McConnell, who was appointed by Barack Obama and operates in Rhode Island, notes that the Trump Administration presented no legal justification that gave President Donald Trump the ability to withhold funds already appropriated by Congress.

"Here, the executive put itself above Congress" the judge wrote in his decision, noting that the categorical freezing of funds undermined the established roles for each branch of government. According to the judge, the maneuver violated the Embargo Control Act of 1974, which limits the circumstances under which a president can withhold federal funds and requires notifying Congress of such decisions.

The controversy began with a memorandum issued Jan. 27 by the White House budget office, which directed federal agencies to temporarily pause all activities related to the disbursement of federal financial assistance. The document specifically mentioned foreign aid-related programs, non-governmental organizations, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Gender Ideology and the Green New Deal.

In response, a coalition of 23 state attorneys general, led in part by New York Attorney General Letitia James, filed suit in federal court in Rhode Island. The states argued that the freeze put essential services such as health care, disaster relief and public employee salaries at risk.

McConnell backed this position by recognizing the "indiscriminate and unpredictable" harm the measure would cause the states, giving them legitimacy to challenge the executive action.

This is not the first judicial setback for the Trump Administration on this issue. In February, another federal judge, Loren AliKhan, a Joe Biden appointee in Washington, DC, issued a similar preliminary injunction in a separate lawsuit, also blocking the funding freeze.

Letitia James celebrated McConnell's ruling, stressing that "the power of the purse belongs to Congress — not the president.” In her statement, she vowed to continue fighting to protect vital funding and programs for residents of New York and other states.

For its part, the Trump Administration has defended the directive as a means to redirect funds away from waste and in an attempt to save Americans money.