The Trump administration’s sudden move to freeze trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans this week was so rushed that key White House officials weren’t even consulted before it went public.
Reports from insiders revealed the order was drafted by Mark Paoletta, the general counsel at the Office of Management and Budget. But it bypassed critical reviews from top aides like Stephen Miller, the president’s top policy advisor, and Will Scharf, the White House staff secretary.
The decision sparked immediate chaos, disrupting programs like Medicaid, which millions of low-income Americans rely on for healthcare. The backlash was so intense that the White House reversed the order just two days later.
President Trump, frustrated by the media coverage, blamed reporters for the confusion during a bill signing event. “We’re just trying to cut waste and fraud in the bureaucracy,” he said.
This isn’t the first time a rushed decision by the administration has caused widespread issues. The incident mirrors the 2017 travel ban targeting mostly Muslim-majority countries, which also led to public outcry and legal challenges.
The messy rollout highlights the challenges of pushing major policy changes without proper vetting, leaving even the administration scrambling to clean up the aftermath.
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