Trump's Funding Freeze: A Blow to Working Families and Vulnerable Populations

WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement in response to reporting that the Trump administration has halted federal financial assistance including billions in funding to programs that working families depend on:

“Billionaires and their anti-union extremist friends have amassed more power and influence than ever, and they are using it now to rob working people. This is a blatant overreach of presidential powers that comes straight from Project 2025. These actions will hurt those who are most vulnerable: families, seniors and people with disabilities who depend on Medicaid for health care; new mothers and newborns who need nutrition assistance; kids who receive education through Head Start or their food through school breakfast and lunch programs; people who rely on housing assistance to keep a roof over their heads, and so many others.

“At the same time, the Senate justconfirmeda billionaire hedge fund manager to run the Treasury department and is about to confirm Russell Vought, the architect of Project 2025, who will immediately seek to slash public services to hand out trillions in tax cuts to his wealthy friends. Make no mistake: this funding freeze is his handiwork. We urge the administration to reverse course on this freeze immediately.”

AFSCME's 1.4 million members provide the vital services that make America happen. With members in communities across the nation, serving in hundreds of different occupations — from nurses to corrections officers, child care providers to sanitation workers — AFSCME advocates for fairness in the workplace, excellence in public services and freedom and opportunity for all working families.