‘Catastrophic’ Trump Spending Freeze Blocked by Second Judge (1)

President Donald Trump’s freeze on trillions of dollars in loans, grants and other payments has been blocked indefinitely by a judge for a second time, the latest setback for the administration in its broad attempt to claw back spending already approved by Congress.

The January pause by the White House Office of Management and Budget, while technically short lived, had “catastrophic consequences” for states that depend on such funding for everything from Medicaid and child-care programs to infrastructure projects, Chief US District Judge John McConnell of Rhode Island ruled Thursday. The freeze is still rippling through the country, he ...