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12:30 Report — Alarm bells go off over federal funding freeze order

January 28, 2025

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12:30 REPORT

It’s Tuesday, but there’s been enough news already that I have deemed today Wednesday. 😅 Here’s what’s happening:

Trump orders halt for nearly all federal assistance.
“Alarmed” Democrats argue the move is illegal.
How Trump 2.0 is different.
Karoline Leavitt gives first White House briefing.
Peters’s retirement blows Senate contest wide open.

I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips & feedback to cmartel@thehill.com. Someone forward this to you? Sign up.

This is a big, big deal:

President Trump took the extraordinary step of freezing nearly all federal assistance programs to determine whether it aligns with Trump’s agenda.

There is an exception: Social Security and Medicare benefits should not be affected by the upcoming halt — and neither should the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Why this matters: There haven’t been many details yet, but this order, which will be effective at 5 p.m., appears to be extremely wide-ranging.

Keep in mind: The Hill’s Brett Samuels noted that “a senior Trump administration official asserted the memo did not amount to a funding freeze. They argued that if an agency found its funding was not in conflict with Trump’s agenda, it would be disbursed without issue.”

Democrats are ‘extremely alarmed’ by this: Top Democrats are already questioning the legality of this move. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) slammed the move as “blatantly [disobeying] the law” and questioned how temporary it may be.

What are Dems doing about it?: Senate Democrats are demanding that Republicans postpone Thursday’s scheduled vote on Thursday on Russell Vought, Trump’s nominee to head the Office of Management and Budget.

^ But they do not have enough votes to hold back Vought’s nomination — and a spokesperson for Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said the committee “will proceed with Mr. Vought’s nomination as scheduled.”

Republicans, on the other hand …: They’re less concerned, with some even welcoming the move. Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and the No. 3 Republican in the Senate, Whip Tom Emmer (Minn.), both defended the move, with Emmer saying Trump was elected “to shake things up.”

➤ PLUS — TRUMP MADE SOME MAJOR CHANGES WITHIN THE MILITARY:

Trump signed four new executive orders Monday evening that could have significant effects on the U.S. military.

Ban transgender people from serving in the military.
Reinstate service members who were forced out over COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
“Abolish” every diversity, equity and inclusion office within the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security.
Allow the development of a missile defense shield to protect the U.S. (Think: Israel’s Iron Dome)

This is not 2017:

Donald Trump has been president for just eight days now, but one thing is already clear: It’s shaping up to be a very different administration. For good or for bad, he knows what he’s doing this time.

In addition to freezing nearly all federal assistance and making significant changes to the U.S. military:

He fired at least a dozen prosecutors at the Department of Justice.
He cleared out 17 inspectors general, a move widely considered to be illegal.
He issued a sweeping pardon of Jan. 6 protesters, including hundreds of violent rioters.
He suspended most foreign assistance for three months and directed a review to determine if they align with his “America First” agenda.

How this is different from his first administration: In 2017, politics and governing were new to Trump and the MAGA crowd. Remember how the Sean Spicer inauguration crowd size headlines dominated the new administration? And all the infighting over personnel?

That’s not happening this time. White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has been running a tight ship. The barrage of infighting that dominated his first term has been mostly absent from this campaign, transition and, so far, his administration. This time around, Trump and Republicans were immediately ready to hit “go” to implement his “America First” agenda.

And Trump has notably less opposition this time: Big tech is cozying up to Trump. Republicans, while uncomfortable with some of his more controversial moves (see: Jan. 6 pardons), have largely been supportive of his sweeping agenda.

Even one of his most controversial Cabinet nominees, Pete Hegseth, was confirmed by all but three Senate Republicans despite a flurry of negative headlines, including a sexual assault allegation and reports of excessive drinking.

How *are* Republicans feeling about all of this?: The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports that Republican lawmakers are scrambling to keep up with Trump’s dizzying array of changes to Washington and the related controversies. One Republican senator who requested anonymity said Trump is pursuing a “shock and awe” approach, prioritizing executive actions (that come with less resistance than through Congress.)

Read Bolton’s reporting on the GOP reaction: ‘GOP lawmakers grapple with fallout from Trump executive actions’

➤ WHY DEMOCRATS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY WORRIED:

The Hill’s Niall Stanage reports that Democrats are worried that Trump’s agenda has an increasingly autocratic bent.

But there’s not much they can do about it: Republicans control the White House, both chambers of Congress and the Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority.

Little, but not nothing: The lower courts are Democrats’ best hope of blocking parts of the president’s agenda. (Think: 22 Democratic-led states joined lawsuits to block his end to “birthright citizenship.”)

➤ YES, BUT DEMOCRATS HAVEN’T MOVED QUICKLY:

The Bulwark’s Sam Stein pointed out that Republicans and Democrats are “running at different speeds. Senate Dems are holding a press conference today to condemn the pardoning of J6ers. That was done a week ago. Unclear if there is a presser today to go after the OMB’s power play to take over all federal grant money.”

➤ MORE READS:

CNN: Inside Trump’s first week back in the White House: Bright moods and simmering tensions
The New York Times: Trump Threatens Tariffs Over Immigration, Drugs and Greenland
The Atlantic: Trump Can’t Escape the Laws of Political Gravity
The Wall Street Journal: State Department Urged to Observe ‘Spirit’ of Trump’s Anti-DEI Order During Black History Month
The New York Times: Inside Colombia’s Crisis Over Trump’s Deportations

👋 On Capitol Hill

Gary’s retiring:

Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) announced this morning that he will not seek reelection in 2026.

This is a big deal for Democrats: That leaves an open seat in the key battleground state of Michigan. It gives Republicans a big opening and Democrats another seat to worry about.

That’s so young in Senate terms: Peters, 66, told The Detroit News’s Melissa Nann Burke that he is not planning to seek another office, such as Michigan governor. Instead, he said he plans to spend more time with his family.

📹 Watch his announcement

➤ AN IMMEDIATE ‘NO’ FROM GRETCH:

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) said she will not run for the open Senate seat, reports The Detroit News’s Craig Mauger.

🐝 Internet Buzz

🥞 Celebrate: Today is National Blueberry Pancake Day!

🖼️ Melania’s new headshot: The White House unveiled first lady Melania Trump’s official portrait. @ChrisDJackson noticed how similar it looks to Claire Underwood’s portrait in “House of Cards.” 📸 The portrait

🌎 Another Mark Leibovich classic: Veteran political author Mark Leibovich went to Greenland to watch Trump’s inauguration, but he got stranded. I had to do a double-take when he wrote how Paul McCartney got involved. Read his story in The Atlantic

“‘Greenland?’ McCartney greeted me when he came on the phone. Apparently someone had told him about my situation. Yeah, I seem to be stranded here, I told him. ‘Trump’s gonna buy it,’ Sir Paul said. ‘So don’t worry.’”

🎙️ Drama in the ‘Bachelor’ world: Former “Bachelor” finalist Rachael Kirkconnell recently had what appeared to be an abrupt public breakup with “Bachelor” alum Matt James. Well, she will appear on Alex Cooper’s popular “Call Her Daddy” podcast to discuss(!) It will premiere on YouTube at 9 p.m. 📹 Watch the announcement

📆 On The Agenda

The House is out. The Senate is in. President Trump is in Washington, and Vice President Vance is speaking at the House GOP retreat near Miami. (all times Eastern)

12:30 p.m.: Senators meet for weekly caucus luncheons. 📆 Today’s agenda
1 p.m.: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt holds her first press briefing. 💻 Livestream
2:15 p.m.: The Senate holds a procedural vote.
3 p.m.: Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem gives welcoming remarks to DHS employees. 💻 C-SPAN livestream
5:30 p.m.: The Hill’s Emily Brooks interviews Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) during a fireside chat at the House Republican retreat in Miami.