In a Washington courtroom, a planned freeze on federal funding by the Trump administration is under scrutiny, with U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan considering extending her temporary block on the halt of federal grants and loans. The freeze, which initially targeted a broad spectrum of funding amounting to potentially trillions of dollars, was temporarily halted just minutes before its scheduled implementation, with the stay set to expire on Monday afternoon unless extended.

A separate lawsuit in Rhode Island, filed by nearly two dozen Democratic states, saw another judge issue a temporary order blocking the administration’s attempt to halt federal funding. Although the administration rescinded the memo outlining the funding freeze, the White House press secretary has indicated that a funding pause remains part of Trump’s executive orders agenda, aligning with efforts to boost fossil fuel production, revoke protections for transgender individuals, and terminate diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Nonprofit groups, fearing loss of federal funding, have challenged the legality of Trump’s plan, arguing that its ideological nature infringes on their freedom of speech. The administration’s defense asserts that the groups have not demonstrated potential harm from the freeze, suggesting it might be a brief pause compliant with federal laws and assuring that essential payments like Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid will not be affected.