Democrats prepare for war with Trump over funding freeze
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 23, 2025. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.
Democrats in Congress are gearing up for a pitched public battle with President Trump over his move to temporarily pause federal grant, loan and financial assistance programs.
Why it matters: The freeze, which Democrats argue is both illegal and deeply harmful, is already becoming a cornerstone of Democratic messaging strategy against the Trump administration.
- The Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, essentially House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' (D-N.Y.) messaging arm, sent a memo to congressional offices on Tuesday urging them to make noise.
- "Raise Awareness Today!" the memo says. "Hold a press conference with local elected officials and invite stakeholders who provide direct services in the community to share the impact of the Republican funding freeze."
- It adds: "You should also go live or record and share a short video clip across your platforms to explain what is happening and how it will affect the people you represent."
Driving the news: The Office of Management and Budget sent shockwaves through Washington on Monday night with a memo to federal agencies directing them to "temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance."
- The memo quickly created confusion in federal agencies and state governments — with some states reportedly losing access to a portal used to manage Medicaid spending.
- Democrats pushed back swiftly, with Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Congress' leading Democratic appropriators, expressing "extreme alarm" in a letter to the administration on Monday.
- In a follow-up memo on Tuesday, the White House stressed that "the pause does not apply across-the-board" and is "expressly limited" to funding areas like DEI targeted by Trump's executive orders.
What's next: House Democrats will huddle virtually Wednesday afternoon for an "emergency" caucus meeting on the "Illegal Republican Funding Freeze," according to an invite obtained by Axios.
- Jeffries, in a "dear colleague" letter, said lawmakers will discuss a "comprehensive three-pronged counteroffensive" involving the use of the federal appropriations process, litigation and communications.
- Jeffries said DeLauro and Oversight Committee ranking member Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) will give presentations, as well as the DPCC.
- House Democratic leadership is slated to meet Tuesday afternoon, a senior House Democrat told Axios.
Zoom in: The DPCC memo offers an early preview of how Democrats plan to push back, stating, "President Trump and Republicans are pushing an illegal scheme to choke off virtually all federal funding for basic services."
- "Democrats are exploring every option to fight back and defend hardworking American taxpayers," it adds, urging Republicans to "join us right away."
- In the Senate, Murray's office is distributing a memo with a list of programs that would be halted by the OMB's funding freeze.
- Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee are also pressing the administration for information on how the memo affects Medicaid funding, sources told Axios.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
