After officially taking office earlier this month, the Trump administration issued an executive order on Monday, Jan. 27, calling for a temporary pause in government funding to federal aid and programs, including grants and loans.
Students and Americans both were taken aback by the decision, which comes after a slew of other aggressive actions on part of the presidency. The order was then rescinded, however, after receiving legal pushback and criticism from political opponents and citizens alike.
Since his inauguration on Jan. 20, President Donald Trump has made clear his mission to undo policies set during the Biden administration. According to the American Council on Education, Trump has issued over two dozen executive orders, many of which carry the potential to affect the lives of students in higher education.
Alongside various directives that seek to impact the livelihood of undocumented students and demand for the rollback of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies, the memo issued by the Office of Management and Budget just a week into the Trump presidency marked another attempt to cease federal funding to programs that remain inconsistent with Trump’s agenda. Starting at 5 p.m. on Jan. 28, the order would allow the government time to decide precisely which programs are most in line with the president’s objectives.
“Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal,” said Matthew J. Vaeth, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Yet, the vague wording of the memo sparked confusion and unease among officials and members of the public as it wasn’t clear which programs would be affected by the pause in funding.
“It’s incredibly unfortunate to think that we have come to the point where education is not right and it’s being used as a weapon against our own people,” said Lindsay Orellana (‘26). “For first-generation students like myself, these kinds of policies can be especially concerning because they often depend on grants and loans to break cycles of economic hardship.”
The order also prompted immediate legal action and questions concerning the constitutionality of the hold. Federal district judge Loren AliKhan issued a block just before the freeze was to go into effect Tuesday night, “pausing the plan for a week and setting a hearing for further arguments Monday morning,” according to Daniel Barnes via NBC.
Following this, Vaeth informed federal agencies on Wednesday, Jan. 29, that the memo was being rescinded. Despite the rescission, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt assured the populace on X that other such Trump directives would carry on in being implemented.
As lawmakers and public officials hurry to keep up with ongoing changes under the Trump administration, the implications of such actions will continue to reveal themselves to students and citizens alike.
“While its rescission is a relief, the fact that it was even considered highlights the ongoing instability in education funding and the need for stronger protections for students who are already navigating an uphill battle,” said Orellana.
The Drew Acorn is committed to updating the university’s community on subsequent current events. Drew students may continue to monitor our publication for ongoing updates on developments and information that could potentially affect the well-being and livelihoods of those on campus.
Eva Esqueda is a junior majoring in media and communications and minoring in French, Film, American Studies
