Trump Freezes Financial Assistance, Except for Social Security and Medicare Payments

The Trump administration is freezing nearly all federal loans, grants, and other financial assistance starting Tuesday afternoon, according to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The lone exceptions are for Social Security and Medicare payments, according to a footnote in a memo distributed on Monday by Matthew Vaeth, the acting director of OMB. “Nothing in this memo should be construed to impact Medicare or Social Security benefits,” said the memo from OMB, which oversees the federal budget. The order also clarified that financial assistance that is directly received by people will not be included under the federal pause in grants and aid....