Today in one sentence: The Trump administration ordered a temporary freeze on all federal grants and loans; a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s plan to freeze federal grants and loans, delaying its implementation until February 3; Democrats criticized Trump’s federal funding freeze as unconstitutional, calling it a direct attack on Congress’s authority and American families; Trump’s freeze on federal grants and loans disrupted Medicaid operations nationwide, with state officials reporting that the federal portal used for Medicaid reimbursements was inaccessible; the Trump administration placed dozens of senior U.S. Agency for International Development officials on administrative leave; Trump fired Jennifer Abruzzo, the general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, and Gwynne Wilcox, one of its Democratic members; the Trump administration halted the distribution of HIV medications purchased through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and froze funding for global health programs; Trump signed executive orders targeting transgender service members; ICE plans to target three U.S. cities each week for large-scale immigration operations; the U.S. resumed deportation flights to Colombia after Trump threatened tariffs, visa cancellations, and customs delays in response to Colombia's brief refusal to accept military flights carrying migrants; and Trump’s second term begins with a net approval rating of +7, the lowest for a newly elected president since World War II – except for his own first term.

1/ The Trump administration ordered a temporary freeze on all federal grants and loans. A memo from the Office of Management and Budget, issued late Monday, directed federal agencies to pause the obligation and disbursement of federal financial assistance to review whether programs comply with recent executive orders targeting initiatives such as diversity, equity, and inclusion, environmental policies, and abortion-related funding. Although the freeze doesn’t apply to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or direct assistance programs like food stamps and Pell Grants, many other federally funded programs, like healthcare, education, disaster relief, and housing, face potential disruption. The freeze is set to begin Tuesday at 5 p.m. and will remain in place while agencies submit detailed reviews of their programs by mid-February. A lawsuit filed by nonprofit groups seeks an emergency injunction to block the order, and at least 22 state attorneys general plan to sue the Trump administration. The attorneys general, led by Connecticut AG William Tong, called the policy “lawless” and “brazenly unconstitutional.” Republican leaders, meanwhile, largely support the review as a necessary step to align federal spending with conservative priorities, though some expressed concern over the disruption it has caused. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt attempted to clarify the freeze, saying “this is not a blanket pause” and that “individual assistance” like Social Security, Medicare, and food stamps will not be affected by the pause. Leavitt added that the “reason for this is to ensure that every penny that is going out the door is not conflicting with the executive orders and actions this president has taken.” The OMB memo announcing the freeze said: “The use of federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve.” It lists over 2,600 programs under review, including school meals, foreign aid, cancer research, and disaster relief. (CNN / Washington Post / New York Times / Washington Post / NPR / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Axios / CBS News / NBC News / Politico / Associated Press)

2/ Democrats criticized Trump’s federal funding freeze as unconstitutional, calling it a direct attack on Congress’s authority and American families. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the move “a dagger at the heart of the average American family in red states and blue states, in cities, in suburbs, in rural areas.” Senator Patty Murray argued, “Congress holds the power of the purse. That is very clear in the Constitution.” New York Attorney General Letitia James announced lawsuits, stating, “We won’t sit idly by while this administration harms our families.” Democrats warned the freeze undermines bipartisan funding agreements and creates widespread uncertainty for states, nonprofits, and critical programs. (Politico / New York Times / Washington Post)

3/ Trump’s freeze on federal grants and loans disrupted Medicaid operations nationwide, with state officials reporting that the federal portal used for Medicaid reimbursements was inaccessible. The outage, which came hours after the Office of Management and Budget issued a memo halting financial assistance programs for a review, raised concerns about the continuity of payments to the program that serves over 70 million Americans. While the White House stated that Medicaid was excluded from the freeze and payments were still being processed, confusion and panic spread among state Medicaid offices, healthcare providers, and patients. (New York Times / Chicago Sun-Times / The Hill / CBS News / CNBC)

4/ The Trump administration placed dozens of senior U.S. Agency for International Development officials on administrative leave for allegedly attempting to “circumvent” an executive order freezing nearly all U.S. foreign aid for 90 days. Acting USAID Administrator Jason Gray announced the decision in a memo, citing actions that didn’t align with Trump’s mandate. The move affects around 60 top career officials, including the entire leadership of USAID’s global health bureau, leaving many offices without senior management. The aid freeze, which impacts programs addressing poverty, disease, and disaster relief, has drawn criticism from global leaders and aid advocates, who warn of severe consequences for vulnerable communities. (NPR / Politico / New York Times / Washington Post)

5/ Trump fired Jennifer Abruzzo, the general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, and Gwynne Wilcox, one of its Democratic members, effectively paralyzing the agency responsible for enforcing workers’ union rights. The firings leave the NLRB with only two members, preventing it from issuing rulings on hundreds of pending labor disputes. While Abruzzo’s removal was anticipated, Wilcox’s dismissal was unprecedented and could face legal challenges, as federal law permits board members to be removed only for neglect or malfeasance. (Bloomberg / Reuters / New York Times / Axios)

6/ The Trump administration halted the distribution of HIV medications purchased through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and froze funding for global health programs. Clinics in low-income countries have been instructed to stop disbursing lifesaving drugs already in stock, and PEPFAR’s data systems have been taken offline. The freeze affects treatment for HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis, leaving millions of patients without care and disrupting critical global health programs. The administration also suspended technical support to health ministries and aid organizations abroad, sparking fears of increased disease transmission and drug resistance. (New York Times / Reuters)

7/ Trump signed executive orders targeting transgender service members, reinstating a partial ban from his first term and ordering revisions to military policies on medical standards and pronoun usage. The orders reverse Biden-era policies allowing transgender individuals to serve openly and receive transition-related care. Trump argued that gender dysphoria and related medical needs are incompatible with military readiness, saying “A man’s assertion that he is a woman […] is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member.” (Washington Post / NBC News / CBS News / Washington Post / NPR)

8/ ICE plans to target three U.S. cities each week for large-scale immigration operations. Aurora, Colorado, will be the next city targeted after Chicago and New York City, with ICE agents following a directive to arrest 1,200-1,500 migrants daily. Since Jan. 23, nearly 3,600 immigrants have been arrested, including many with no criminal records. (NBC News / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal)

9/ The U.S. resumed deportation flights to Colombia after Trump threatened tariffs, visa cancellations, and customs delays in response to Colombia’s brief refusal to accept military flights carrying migrants. Colombian President Gustavo Petro initially rejected U.S. deportation flights, citing concerns over “dignified treatment” after reports of migrants being shackled during transit. Colombia’s refusal stemmed from prior commitments under the Biden administration that deportations would respect migrants’ dignity, prompting Petro to offer Colombian planes for deportations while asserting sovereignty. Trump responded with threats of a 25% tariff on Colombian exports, including crude oil, coffee, and flowers, as well as visa revocations for Colombian officials. A late-night agreement allowed deportations to continue, with Colombia deploying its own planes to retrieve 201 migrants from the U.S. While Trump declared victory, Petro claimed to uphold the dignity of returning Colombians, saying “Migrants are not delinquents. They are human beings who want to work and get ahead in life.” (Associated Press / Bloomberg / New York Times)

poll/ Trump’s second term begins with a net approval rating of +7, the lowest for a newly elected president since World War II – except for his own first term. Trump’s approval rating stands at 50%, with 43% disapproving. (ABC News)

The midterm elections are in 644 days.

✏️ Notables.

Quick hits of lesser importance.

  1. Trump plans to impose tariffs on foreign-made semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, targeting chips made in Taiwan to encourage U.S. manufacturing. The tariffs could reach up to 100%, affecting companies like Apple, Nvidia, and AMD, which rely on Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC. (PC Magazine / Bloomberg / Washington Post)

  2. Caroline Kennedy urged senators to rejectRobert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as secretary of Health and Human Services, calling him a “predator” unfit for the role due to his vaccine skepticism and personal behavior. (Washington Post / New York Times / ABC News)

  3. Sen. Thom Tillis assured Danielle Hegseth, Pete Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, that her sworn statement alleging alcohol abuse and abusive behavior could sway Republican senators to oppose Hegseth’s nomination as defense secretary. Tillis, however, provided the 50th vote to confirm Hegseth, with JD Vance breaking the tie. (Wall Street Journal)

  4. Scott Bessent was confirmed as Treasury Secretary. He pledged to reduce the deficit to 3% of GDP while supporting Trump’s tax cuts and trade policies, arguing spending—not taxation—is the primary issue. (Bloomberg)

  5. The Senate confirmed Sean Duffy as Transportation Secretary in a 77-22 vote, with all opposition coming from Democrats protesting Trump’s recent spending freeze directive. (Politico)

  6. Matthew Huttle, pardoned by Trump for Jan. 6 crimes, was fatally shot by an Indiana deputy after allegedly resisting arrest during a traffic stop. Huttle was convicted in 2023 for entering the Capitol during the riot and served six months in prison before his pardon last week. (NBC News / The Guardian / New York Times)

  7. A federal judge lifted travel restrictions barring Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes from entering Washington, D.C., or the Capitol, after Trump commuted his prison sentence and wiped away his supervised release. (NPR)

  8. Senate Democrats introduced a resolution condemning Trump’s pardons of Jan. 6 rioters, focusing on those who assaulted Capitol Police officers. The resolution is symbolic and highlights opposition to Trump’s sweeping clemency for over 1,500 rioters, which Democrats view as an endorsement of political violence. No Republican senators co-sponsored the resolution. The resolution requires unanimous Senate consent, meaning a single senator could block it. (HuffPost)

  9. Google Maps will rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” for U.S. users following Trump’s executive order mandating the change in federal nomenclature. Users in Mexico will still see “Gulf of Mexico,” while international users will see both names. Trump also ordered North America’s tallest mountain, Denali, renamed back to “Mount McKinley,” which Google Maps will also adopt after government updates. Google stated this aligns with its longstanding practice of reflecting official government sources. (Washington Post / CNBC / Engadget)

  10. The Trump administration plans to offer buyouts to federal workers who resign by February 6, allowing them to receive pay through September 30. A senior official called the low rate of full-time office attendance “unacceptable” and emphasized the administration’s commitment to raising workplace standards. (Axios)

Four years ago today: Day 9: "Beyond the pale."
Five years ago today: Day 1104: A diversion.
Six years ago today: Day 739: Wrong track.
Eight years ago today: Day 9: Unreal.