President Donald Trump’s administration issued a memo Monday ordering widespread federal assistance to be temporarily paused, as Trump and his allies have argued he can block government funds that Congress has already authorized, despite a federal law forbidding it.

NH officials and nonprofit leaders scrambled for clarity after President Donald Trump’s Office of Management and Budget issued a memo ordering a freeze on nearly all federal financial assistance programs.

The move comes after the order sparked widespread criticism and confusion. A federal district judge had temporarily paused the freeze.

The initial White House order on Monday to freeze federal grants sparked confusion throughout Washington and nationwide.