Officials said the decision to halt loans and grants was necessary to ensure spending complies with recent executive orders.

President Donald Trump’s budget office has rescinded a memo freezing spending on federal grants, less than two days after it sparked widespread confusion and legal challenges across the country

A federal judge temporarily halted President Donald Trump's move to freeze all federal grants pending an analysis to root out "wokeness" in federal spending. But confusion reigned Tuesday in Chicago and beyond as leaders braced for serious potential cuts to an array of major programs.