{UAH} TRUMP AWAKENS RESISTENCE -> It is a Constitutional debate don't kid your self

"Trump awakens "Resistance"

Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios

A potential constitutional crisis erupted yesterday over the Trump administration's surprise federal funding freeze, jolting Democrats into action after months of strategic paralysis, Axios' Zachary Basu and Erin Doherty write. Why it matters: For the first time since President Trump won the election, the so-called "Resistance" is showing signs of life. Senate Democrats moved with rare dexterity to block a GOP-led bill in one of the few places where they have real leverage, and blanketed social media with panicked reports from their constituents. House Democrats called an emergency meeting for today to plot out a "comprehensive three-pronged counteroffensive" — targeting appropriations, litigation and communications. Nonprofits — later joined by Democrat-led states — stormed the federal court system with lawsuits, leading a judge to temporarily halt the funding freeze. Lead stories of today's Washington Post, N.Y. Times 🔎 Zoom in: The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent shockwaves through Washington Monday night with a memo directing agencies to "temporarily pause" grants, loans and federal financial assistance programs to ensure they align with Trump's priorities. "This is not a blanket pause," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stressed as she was bombarded with questions about the freeze in her first press briefing yesterday. "Social Security benefits, Medicare benefits, food stamps, welfare benefits, assistance that is going directly to individuals will not be impacted by this pause," she said. 🖼️ The big picture: For more than a week, Trump has overwhelmed his critics with an unrelenting flood of executive orders, government purges and bureaucratic maneuvering. Yesterday alone, Trump offered to buy out any federal employees who resign by Feb. 6 and signed an executive order aiming to restrict youth gender-affirming care — diverting headlines from the funding freeze. But nothing has broken through like the funding memo, which sent state governments, nonprofits, schools, emergency workers and even some GOP officials scrambling to determine whether they'd be affected. 💰 Between the lines: Trump and his nominee for OMB director, Russ Vought, have argued that the Impoundment Control Act — a Nixon-era law that restricts presidents from withholding funding passed by Congress — is unconstitutional. An FAQ sheet distributed by the OMB Tuesday claims Trump's "temporary pause" doesn't constitute an "impoundment." Read yesterday's OMB FAQ ... N.Y. Times Upshot lists 2,600 programs under scrutiny (gift link) ... Original 2-page memo ....