White House Rescinds Order to Freeze Federal Assistance, Grants

The Trump administration rescinded its memo calling for federal agencies to pause potentially trillions of dollars in federal grants, loans and other financial-assistance programs, a day after a federal judge temporarily blocked the directive that had sowed widespread confusion.

The White House on Wednesday issued a memo to federal employees scrapping its original memorandum, according to a document viewed by The Wall Street Journal.

The two-line memo sent just after noon by Matthew J. Vaeth, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, said the previous memorandum “is rescinded. If you have questions about implementing the President’s Executive Orders, please contact your agency’s General Counsel.”