United States President Donald Trump’s order to freeze federal program funding has been blocked by a judge.
The order sought to freeze the funding for a wide range of federal programmes, which raised immediate concerns about disruption to education, healthcare, poverty reduction and disaster relief.
However, Trump government officials are arguing the funding freeze was necessary to ensure that all funding complies with Trump’s priorities, including his removal of Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs.
The decision to block the order came from Judge Loren AliKhan, shortly before the directive was supposed to come into effect at 5pm EST, and will remain in effect until a hearing on 3 February.
Meanwhile, Caroline Kennedy has hit out at her cousin Robert F Kennedy Jr, calling him a “predator”.
RFK Jr is Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services Secretary, one of his most controversial cabinet choices, due to Kennedy’s extreme anti-vaccination views.
In her letter Caroline Kennedy said her father, President John F. Kennedy, would be “disgusted” by his actions and that if elected he would pose a danger she now feels “an obligation” to speak on.
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