By Joseph Edelen

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s Office of Management and Budget rescinded an order to freeze federal grant spending on Wednesday less than two days after the action was issued, according to the Associated Press.

The order, which would have withheld trillions of dollars in funding for states to provide essential services, led to an influx of legal challenges, including from Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings.

“This order was callous, craven, and careless,” Attorney General Jennings said in a statement Tuesday night.

“The White House is toying with people’s lives and livelihoods — including millions of Americans who voted for Donald Trump. We’re not going to stand by and wait to see what kind of havoc the President wants to wreak. We’re suing. See you in court.”

The lawsuit will remain unaffected for now, according to Mat Marshall, a spokesperson for the Delaware Department of Justice. He added that, while the revocation is “good news,” it is still too early to declare victory.

“Given that this is a voluntary policy recission by the Administration, and not an enforced stay or a disavowal of policy, Delaware and the coalition of plaintiff states will forge ahead with our hearing today arguing for a (temporary restraining order),” Mr. Marshall said.

The order was rescinded via memorandum sent to executive departments and agencies across the nation.

The two-sentence message from the federal Office of Management and Budget simply states the order has been rescinded and that, “If you have questions about implementing President’s Executive Orders, please contact your agency General Counsel.”

The vagueness of President Trump’s Monday order on the funding freeze sparked confusion throughout the country. Officials from the Trump administration later clarified that programs like Medicare, Social Security, student loans and food stamps would not be affected upon the effective time of 5 p.m. Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.

The order was then frozen by a federal judge until Monday pending a requested emergency hearing by nonprofit groups related to their federal grants, which was followed by the lawsuit filed by a coalition of Attorneys General, including Ms. Jennings.

Amid the confusion from federal lawmakers and court challenges to the order, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X on Wednesday that it would “remain in full force and effect.”

“This is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze. It is simply a rescission of the OMB memo,” she said.

“Why? To end any confusion created by the court’s injunction. The President’s EO’s on federal funding remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented.”

Delaware’s statewide officials were outright in their opposition to the move, with U.S. Sen. Chris Coons relaying Tuesday night that he had a phone conversation with Gov. Matt Meyer, U.S. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride and Attorney General Jennings regarding how the freeze would impact Delawareans.

“What a reckless way to run a government. The American people deserve answers from Donald Trump about exactly how this happened and why he thinks it’s okay to illegally hold taxpayer dollars hostage,” U.S. Sen. Coons posted to X after the order was rescinded shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Gov. Meyer also took aim at President Trump, stating that by “cutting off funding to critical programs, his administration jeopardized the livelihoods of thousands of Delawareans, making it even more difficult to access food, housing, health care, and child care assistance.”

Following its revocation, the governor wrote on social media that, “it never should’ve happened in the first place.”

First year Congresswoman McBride was also vocal in her opposition, writing on X on Wednesday that, “Republican politicians are regrouping to figure out how to rip off working people.

“Everywhere I’ve been in Delaware this week – senior centers, hospitals, community events, even just walking down the street – people were outraged by the funding freeze order.”