Staff Reports
President Trump’s latest maneuver to hit pause on billions in federal spending has gotten the usual suspects in a tizzy, prompting a flurry of complaints from his opponents. It seems that any time Trump tries to rein in spending, it’s like a dog whistle for the Democratic choir, but when President Biden did the exact same thing four years ago—putting a halt on border wall construction—many of these same critics seemed to be on a beach somewhere, sipping mai tais, ignoring the situation entirely.
Biden’s temporary roadblock back in the day was hailed as a sensible approach to managing funds, while Trump’s recent actions raise eyebrows and legal questions. Apparently, halting projects can only be legal if the administration has the proper “feelings” about how the money should be spent. A distinguished professor of public policy from the University of Maryland has weighed in, stating that a president can pause spending for efficiency but can’t simply refuse to execute the law because he feels it’s not in line with his views. Sounds rather convenient, doesn’t it?
Democrats and their media allies went into full-blown hysteria when President Trump paused Biden's going away handouts yesterday so they could review how the government is spending YOUR tax dollars. But when Biden froze border wall funding on his first day in office, there was no… pic.twitter.com/OByvGYAOwO
— Congressman Michael Cloud (@RepCloudTX) January 29, 2025
Trump’s first round in the courts didn’t go so well, with a federal judge issuing a temporary restraining order to block his plans faster than a liberal at a conservative rally. But the chief budget officer at the time argued that Trump was merely trying to align federal spending with what he believes the voters actually want. The memo indicated a desire for efficiency in federal programs. So while Democrats are hot under the collar over this “unconstitutional” pause, Trump’s team is framing it as a constitutional safeguard to ensure taxpayer dollars aren’t squandered.
Critics, led by the likes of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have gone into full crisis mode, declaring this a “constitutional crisis.” One wonders if these folks ever considered the term before or if it’s just the buzzword of the day. Confusion remains rampant regarding whether this pause might jeopardize Medicaid payments—published guidance from the White House clearly states it won’t, but that hasn’t stopped the howls of outrage from the left.
In past instances, it was Republicans who protested when Biden took a sledgehammer to wall funding. Back then, Congress’s investigative body confirmed the Biden administration was on legally solid ground because its reasons were programmatic rather than political. Ironically, this situation has led to Biden slow-walking funds destined for the wall while spending time on environmental clean-ups—because who wouldn’t want to prioritize cleaning up Mother Nature over national security? Eventually, in 2023, it took some serious political backpedaling on Biden’s part to admit he had no choice but to spend some of that money on border protection, citing legal obligations.
The overarching theme here is the perception and justification behind each president’s actions. While Trump’s pause has stirred legal debates and accusations of policy-driven motives, Biden’s past maneuvers were, according to his supporters, mere administrative corrections. It’s amusing how the narrative shifts depending on which party holds the reins of power. As they say, what’s good for the goose may not apply to the gander.
What’s clear is that these strategies often come with serious political repercussions. The GAO ruled in a previous instance that Trump’s pause on security assistance to Ukraine was illegal because it substituted his own policy priorities for those decided by Congress. This led to an impeachment that went nowhere thanks to a GOP-led Senate putting a quick end to those shenanigans. Transparency, accountability, and consistency are the watchwords that seem to go out the window anytime policy subjects itself to political favoritism. Whether Trump’s current pause proves to be a spending strategy or a legal misstep remains to be seen, but it’s sure to be a bumpy political ride.
