Caroline Hawley
Appearances
Global News Podcast
US judge temporarily blocks Trump's freeze on federal funding
Honestly, there is still confusion. I think why it's being done is easier than the what of it, if you know what I mean. So essentially, this has been paused so the new administration can check that government spending aligns with its conservative policies. And they've also promised to make the government more efficient.
Global News Podcast
US judge temporarily blocks Trump's freeze on federal funding
They've made clear that there's going to be no more funding for diversity and inclusion for many environmental programmes. What the White House press secretary called transgenderism and wokeness. I had another White House official saying there would be no more funding for left-wing NGOs. But there is confusion and uncertainty.
Global News Podcast
US judge temporarily blocks Trump's freeze on federal funding
For example, Meals on Wheels, which you can work out from the title what it does. They don't know what this means for them. So many, many people work trying to work out what exactly this means as it goes into effect. Although, Jeanette, we are just hearing now that a judge has temporarily paused part of the freeze. So watch this space for what happens next.
Global News Podcast
US judge temporarily blocks Trump's freeze on federal funding
That's right. But I think you heard Caroline Levitt say there that Medicare was not affected. So there's been this is kind of added to the chaos. And you heard from the Democrat Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who said that this was causing cruel, nasty and illegal chaos. Chaos it certainly is.
Global News Podcast
US judge temporarily blocks Trump's freeze on federal funding
What about foreign aid? Good question. Well, all foreign aid has been paused. And that is an absolutely huge deal because the US is the biggest foreign aid donor in the world. I spoke to somebody. He didn't want to be identified, but he's a longtime aid worker. And he said this had caused an earthquake in the sector. And a couple of things that Caroline Levitt mentioned in her press conference.
Global News Podcast
US judge temporarily blocks Trump's freeze on federal funding
She said that there was money about to go out for the World Health Organization, $37 million. She said that had been halted. And then she spoke about $50 million, bizarrely, that she said was going to go out of the budget for condoms for Gaza. That's also been halted. So those were the two things she specifically mentioned at that press conference today on foreign aid.
Global News Podcast
Netanyahu issues warning ahead of Gaza ceasefire
Eight years ago, just after President Trump was inaugurated for his first presidency, over half a million people came to Washington to protest in one of the largest ever one-day protests in the country. This time the organizers, and they're from a coalition of groups, they were hoping for 50,000, but I would say there are less than that.
Global News Podcast
Netanyahu issues warning ahead of Gaza ceasefire
But many, many people, several thousand, have braved the cold. to come to Washington with signs saying things like, control guns, not our bodies. No sign is big enough to list all the reasons I'm here. Immigrants make America great. So banners that reflect their opposition to Donald Trump and the policies they fear he will bring in.
Global News Podcast
Netanyahu issues warning ahead of Gaza ceasefire
And with me now are two people who've come in to Washington from Baltimore. And Zora, you're 17 years old. Have you been to a protest before? I have. I was back at a protest just like this in 2017, right before Trump's first inauguration. You must have been very young. Yeah, I was nine years old.
Global News Podcast
Netanyahu issues warning ahead of Gaza ceasefire
Thank you both so much. And obviously they've come here to stand up for what they believe in. I don't think the demonstration, the rally is quite as big as the organisers may have hoped, but people really wanting to have their voices heard as Donald Trump flies in today to begin celebrations ahead of his inauguration on Monday.