Trump Spending Freeze Blocked Again by Skeptical US Judge (2)

The Trump administration likely violated federal law with a controversial directive that aimed to pause spending on potentially trillions of dollars of grants and loans to a vast array of recipients across the country, a judge said in putting the plan on hold.

A temporary restraining order against the spending pause was issued Friday by Chief US District Judge John McConnell of Rhode Island, who said a group of nearly two dozen Democratic-led states are likely to succeed in their lawsuit challenging the White House plan.

“Congress has not given the Executive limitless power to broadly and indefinitely pause all ...