“Complete Chaos”: Medicaid, Meals on Wheels & More on Chopping Block as Trump Freezes Trillions

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has temporarily halted President Trump’s attempt to freeze trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans, including university and nonprofit funding, food assistance, Medicaid, veterans’ benefits and more. The Trump administration said the shocking move was a part of its assessment of whether various government programs align with its agenda. Since assuming office, Trump and his allies have launched a highly publicized purge of initiatives aimed at tackling historical and structural inequality within the federal government. “It’s just been complete chaos” and “completely illegal,” says our guest Sam Bagenstos, who explains that the policy is an attempt to raise a challenge to Congress’s power of the purse and nullify “all the limitations that have been placed on the president’s power.” Bagenstos previously served as general counsel to the Office of Management and Budget, the agency that announced the freeze Monday night.