White House Budget Office Orders Pause in All Federal Loans and Grants

The full extent of the order was not immediately clear, but the directive sent to government agencies on Monday threatened to paralyze a vast swath of federal programs.

Trump Administration Puts Dozens of U.S.A.I.D. Officials on Paid Leave

An email to the aid agency’s employees cited actions “that appear to be designed to circumvent” an executive order by President Trump.

Senate Confirms Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary

Bessent, a hedge fund manager, becomes the nation’s 79th Treasury secretary. He will lead President Trump’s economic agenda.

Trump Paralyzes Independent Rights Watchdog, Firing Members Selected by Democrats

The move removed three of the four sitting members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, leaving it unable to act as the Trump administration begins reshaping intelligence agencies.

Kennedy Center’s Leader to Step Down, Adding to Uncertainty

The announced departure of Deborah F. Rutter, the center’s president since 2014, comes as the center continues to search for a new board chair while navigating a second Trump term.

Denmark and Other Nations Under Pressure Seek Lobbyists With Trump Ties

The president’s confrontational foreign policy has created opportunity for his allies on K Street who are willing to take on clients he has targeted.