The injunction serves to finalize a decision the judge had previously made in January.
On Thursday, a federal judge issued a nationwide order preventing the Trump administration from halting federal funding without congressional approval. In his ruling, he strongly criticized what he described as an attempt by the White House to interfere with the balance of power between government branches.
U.S. District Judge John McConnell had initially placed a temporary block on the funding freeze in January. The latest injunction solidifies that ruling and grants the Trump administration the opportunity to appeal—though their previous attempt to do so was unsuccessful.
This order explicitly forbids the administration from “reissuing, adopting, implementing, enforcing, or reinstating under a different name” a directive from the Office of Management and Budget, which had briefly suspended billions of dollars in funds.
“The Executive’s blanket suspension of allocated and obligated funds directly undermines the clearly defined constitutional responsibilities of each branch of government,” McConnell wrote in his decision. “The relationship among the three co-equal branches is intricate, delicate, and carefully structured—yet it is essential to the foundation of our constitutional system. In this case, the Executive branch positioned itself above Congress.”
Judge McConnell clarified that his ruling does not seek to restrict executive authority or micromanage how federal funds are administered. Instead, he emphasized the constitutional limitations of presidential power.
“In line with the Constitution, statutory law, and judicial precedent, this Court is simply reaffirming that the Executive branch can only exercise its discretion over appropriated funds when explicitly permitted by congressional legislation,” he stated.
To support his argument, the judge provided historical context, explaining why the funding freeze was unlawful.
“We begin by revisiting fundamental lessons in American civics that many of us learned in our early education,” he wrote. “Our nation’s founders, having endured years of hardship under the rule of a distant monarchy, deeply understood the necessity of a more balanced system of governance.”
He further elaborated: “The principles of ‘checks and balances’ and ‘separation of powers’ have long served as the foundation of our government. These values ensure fairness, cooperation, and representation—enabling a diverse society to function effectively under a unified system.”
In response to allegations from a coalition of 22 state attorneys general that the Trump administration unlawfully withheld millions in FEMA funding, Judge McConnell instructed the administration to submit a report to the court outlining their adherence—or failure to comply—with the court’s prior injunction.