Maine elected officials and social service program managers scrambled Tuesday to determine the impact of a Trump administration freeze on many federal grants.
Maine's Democratic governor and attorney general, along with members of the state's congressional delegation, vowed to fight the sweeping directive from Trump. While a federal judge blocked the administration in response to a lawsuit from activists, Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey and more than 20 other Democratic attorneys general were filing a separate lawsuit challenging the budget freeze.
The memo from Trump's budget office explicitly exempted Social Security and Medicare from the funding freeze. But the vague memo made no mention of many other programs that rely on federal funding, such as programs for housing, fuel assistance, Head Start and veterans benefits.
"The day has just really been filled with alarm and confusion and deep concern," said Dan Brennan, director of MaineHousing, the independent state agency that helps administer federal housing and energy assistance programs. As of late-Tuesday afternoon, Brennan said his staff have been unable to access any of the systems that they tap into to draw down federal funds.
"We have many hundreds of people that we plan on paying heating assistance to. If we can't get into the system to draw the funds down, we can't make those payments," Brennan said. "We have invoices for weatherization jobs that have been done that rely on being able to draw things down. So it's a bit crazy right now. I've never seen anything like this."
Brennan added the situation seemed liable to change from one minute to the next.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat and former state attorney general, said Tuesday that she has serious questions about the extent and scope of the Trump administration's actions.
"My administration is evaluating the effects of this order, including its impacts, but it is already clear to me that it is causing entirely needless chaos and confusion across Maine and the nation that will turn into real and serious harm if it continues," Mills said in a statement. "This order, like the President’s threat of tariffs, does not do anything to bring down the price of eggs, bread, heat, housing, or healthcare, like he campaigned on – if anything, this action will drive the cost of living up even further.”
Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey joined 22 of his Democratic colleagues from across the nation in preparing a federal lawsuit to challenge the Trump administration's actions. The attorneys general plan to ask the courts to block the Trump administration from freezing the federal grants as the case plays out. And Frey said he was surprised that, as of Tuesday evening, no Republicans that joined the lawsuit given the confusion and potential impacts across the country.
"By the president doing this, he's not just targeting Democrats. He's not just targeting the political opponents that he wants to target," Frey said. "He is targeting Americans. He is targeting Mainers. He is targeting people of every political stripe so that he can achieve his political campaign promises."
The confusion was top of mind for Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, D-District 1, who said her office had been fielding calls and emails throughout the day from concerned constituents and program managers.
"So much fear that the people are feeling that their heating assistance or their rental assistance or their food assistance or that their child's daycare will be closed," Pingree said. "It's just chaos and unthinkable. Maybe we are going to get used to this with this president. But it's just all wrong."
Pingree serves on the House Appropriations Committee that is responsible for allocating federal dollars. Pingree called Trump's actions an "unlawful assault on Congress' constitutional power of the purse" as well as a dangerous overreach.
Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins doesn't just sit on the Senate Appropriations Committee — she leads it. That means Collins is poised to have significant influence over federal funding priorities and decisions.
Speaking to reporters at the Capitol, Collins said she believes there is justification in taking "a hard look" at some federal programs.
"But this is far too sweeping, and will cause disruption in the administration of a lot of important programs and services," Collins said. "So, I appreciate that the administration did exempt Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, but I'm still concerned about the impact. I'm hearing from nonprofit organizations in Maine, who were expecting funding, and all of a sudden, it's been disrupted, educational institutions that were awarded grants. And I'm concerned about what it’s going to mean across the board."
Independent Maine Sen. Angus King, meanwhile, denounced Trump's memo without mincing words.
"What happened last night is the most direct assault on the authority of Congress I believe in the history of the United States," King said.
Speaking during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol, King said the Constitution clearly gives Congress, not the president, the power to determine expenditures. And King, who previously served on the Senate Budget Committee, called on his Democratic and Republican colleagues in Congress to "stand up for the institution."
"If this stands then Congress might as well adjourn," King said. "Because the implications of this is the executive can pick and choose which congressional enactments it can execute."
Rep. Jared Golden, D-District 2, said in posts on social media that his office has been fielding inquiries from worried Mainers all day. Golden called on Trump to release the funds and said the vagueness of memo created more questions than answers.
"I'm working to track down those answers and ensure congressionally approved funds are sent out the door," Golden said. "Because the reality is simple: Congress controls federal appropriations, not the executive branch. Congress has worked across party lines to reduce federal spending with the Fiscal Responsibility Act. Trump has a willing partner in Congress to address spending. That, not vague and questionable executive action, is the route he should take."
