Trump Admin Faces Legal Trouble After Press Secretary’s Tweet Fuels Funding Freeze Lawsuit

Washington, D.C. – A social media post by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt may have deepened the Trump administration’s legal troubles over its controversial federal funding freeze. The administration ignited chaos in its second week when the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a sweeping federal spending freeze that appeared to withhold funding from multiple agencies and federally backed programs.

The move sparked immediate legal scrutiny, as critics argued it violated laws prohibiting presidential “impoundment”—the practice of withholding congressionally approved funds. Throughout the week, Trump aides oscillated between defending the policy and downplaying its impact on essential programs like Medicaid and Meals on Wheels, told NBC News.

However, after a federal judge temporarily blocked the order while litigation proceeded, the OMB withdrew the memo in question. But the controversy did not end there. Leavitt took to social media in an attempt to clarify the administration’s position but instead may have handed its legal challengers fresh ammunition.

“This is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze. It is simply a rescission of the OMB memo,” Leavitt wrote. “Why? To end any confusion created by the court’s injunction. The President’s EOs on federal funding remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented.”

Her statement immediately caught the attention of a coalition of Democratic attorneys general who had already filed lawsuits to permanently block the freeze. The press secretary’s tweet, they argued, was proof that the administration still intended to enforce the funding halt despite the court order.

In real-time reporting from the courtroom, Politico’s Kyle Cheney revealed that the states introduced Leavitt’s tweet as evidence that their lawsuit should proceed. “In court just now, the states are introducing @PressSec tweet saying the funding freeze is still active as evidence that their lawsuit should continue,” Cheney reported.

The argument proved persuasive. U.S. Chief District Judge John McConnell granted the state’s request for a temporary restraining order against the administration. McConnell did not mince words in his ruling, calling the administration’s messaging “hugely ambiguous” and stating that the withdrawal of the OMB memo was “irrelevant based on comments by the president’s press secretary.”

In a moment highlighting the legal weight of modern political communication, the judge added, “I can’t believe I am saying this, but that’s my read of a tweet.” The ruling marks another setback for the Trump administration, which now faces an intensified legal battle over the legality of the funding freeze. The White House has yet to issue a formal response, but with court battles mounting, the controversy is far from over.