Key facts
- A federal judge has temporarily blocked a $1.8 billion fund.
- Critics denounced the fund as a 'slush fund' for President Donald Trump's political allies.
- The White House was prevented from moving forward with the program.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the White House from moving ahead with a $1.8 billion program. Critics had denounced the initiative as a 'slush fund' intended to compensate President Donald Trump's political allies. The judge's decision prevents the administration from implementing the fund while legal challenges and scrutiny continue. Related stories indicate Republicans are demanding proof the fund is dead and that the White House sought to impose a political test on federal grants.