USAID owes reparations to millions of Americans.

BREAKING: Obama Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Freeze on Federal Funding In a sweeping decision, a federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from freezing any federal funding, dealing a significant legal blow to the White House’s efforts to withhold funds that are suspected of waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer money. Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island issued the ruling, reinforcing a temporary restraining order (TRO) previously placed on the administration. The court found that the government had continued to freeze funds despite prior legal orders, prompting the judge to mandate immediate compliance. The ruling states that “all orders and judgments of courts must be complied with promptly” and warns that ignoring the order risks contempt charges. The Trump administration had attempted to justify the broad funding freeze as an effort to root out fraud, but the court ruled that such an expansive pause exceeded lawful authority and violated the TRO. Judge McConnell’s order requires the Trump administration to: - Immediately restore all frozen funding during the pendency of the TRO. - Cease any federal funding pause under the directive until a ruling on a preliminary injunction is made. - Take all necessary steps to ensure the TRO is fully implemented without delay. - Adhere to the TRO’s plain text, preventing any funding pauses linked to the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) directives or the President’s 2025 executive orders. - Resume funding of institutes and agencies affected, including programs funded under the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Improvement and Jobs Act. This decision follows a legal challenge from 22 Democratic-leaning states and the District of Columbia, which sued the Trump administration over its broad suspension of federal disbursements. The lawsuit, filed in late January, argued that the administration was improperly halting funds that had been duly appropriated by Congress. Last month, Judge McConnell issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the administration from withholding funds while the lawsuit proceeded. The decision marks a critical setback for President Trump’s broader efforts to reshape government spending policies, particularly regarding states and programs that conflict with his administration’s agenda. Legal experts suggest that the Trump administration’s only remaining option is to seek mandamus relief, an extraordinary legal measure to overrule the district court’s decision. The Trump administration has not yet announced its next legal steps.