Do you agree with the Trump administration’s order to temporarily pause federal aid programs pending an across-the-board review?

👍 Yes (31%) – "We are trillions in debt and adding to it by the second. Yes, someone needs to look at the books and see if the expenses are actually worthwhile. We have seen that previous administrations readily paid back their supporters by handing them multi-million dollar no-bid contracts even though other companies would have been more efficient and less expensive. And we know that the Biden administration exponentially increased our national debt. So, if we don't want to end up defaulting on our obligations and become a banana Republic, we'll have to audit our expenses."

• "This administration is getting things done that we the people have been wanting for a long time. The bureaucrats don’t want the status quo (the mess we’re in) to be disrupted. Surgery is sometimes painful, but necessary to get rid of disease. Politicians hate strong leaders who get in the way of their corrupt agendas. Those who are obstructing what the people want will continue to be on the wrong side of history. Either get on board with this administration or continue to lose elections and influence with those who are seeing through their overreaching policies that are destroying our country!"

"Federal spending needs to be reigned in, and it’s painfully obvious many federal programs are wasteful and have created a culture of spending simply because the money is there. A zero based budget approach, even with currently funded programs, is the type of action necessary for programs to gain focus on what is most important."

👎 No (59%) – "It seems to me that it would be much smarter to wait until a program is reviewed before deciding on ending the budget for it. This stop funding all approach could and probably will cause failures in critical programs. If you are concerned about your electric bill, you don't power down your entire house and test each appliance before deciding to start it back up. You look at each one and make an informed decision about which ones to unplug. Trump's wide sweeping blanket decisions cause too many unintended consequences."

• "I believe all programs should be reviewed, but evaluate them and make adjustments as you go. This will put a huge burden on some of the programs which are depend on a small margin for operating costs. I don't believe it will be done in a quick or timely manner. There are too many programs, so those being reviewed last may end up shutting down or workers may not be able to pay rent, or food costs. Not the best way to handle it."

"The Constitution explicitly gives Congress—not the president—the power to allocate and control federal funds. By freezing funds Congress appropriated, the Executive Branch is undermining a foundational principle of democracy. In addition, the Impoundment Control Act (ICA) explicitly prohibits the President from withholding funds appropriated by Congress without following a strict process. The President has not followed this process, and in many cases, the ICA outright bars the impoundment of these funds."

• "With little to no guidance or clarity on what programs are being halted, and for how long, we are leaving thousands of our most vulnerable citizens at risk. Federal Aid dollars go to so many different programs and institutions, a universal stop is an irresponsible way to evaluate the effectiveness of funding. If you want to do an audit, great, but do it in a way that is meaningful and reasonable, not in a way that endangers the welfare and wellbeing of our country as a whole."

"Congress by law has the "power of the purse" and had appropriated these funds. This EO in particular seeks to override the very checks and balances used between branches of government. The consequences of these firehose orders will not just disrupt the norms the administration is determined to topple for show and ratings. They will have far-reaching, generational implications to our economic competitiveness in the global marketplace, put more targets on American backs – both internationally AND domestically – and we will fall behind China and other emerging world powers."

• "The review can take place without immediately stopping payments. The country should not be in a standstill while an incoming elected gets up to speed. A review can still occur through obtaining information, reading reports and holding meetings with the department heads disbursing money. After obtaining information, asking questions, analyzing current processes and synthesizing everything, new suggestions can be made. A standstill is not absolutely necessary to learn what’s needed to learn. It’s disruptive and inefficient."

🤷 Unsure/other (10%) – "I do agree that the gluttony of spending needs to stop. However, I think a better plan would be to allow it to continue while an expedited study is performed. The goal of the administration is to spend money appropriately, not recklessly as is happening now. I sincerely believe taxes on working Americans could be lowered or even eliminated if we take a hard look at the waste and fraud."