Trump accused of withholding disaster funds in Hawaii

A group of states led by Democrats is accusing President Donald Trump’s administration of violating a court order. They claim the administration has not released hundreds of millions of dollars in federal disaster funds. This situation relates to a chaotic spending freeze that happened in January. In a recent court filing, state attorneys general said they are at a standstill with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). They are particularly concerned about funds frozen that are meant to help Hawaii recover from the deadly 2023 wildfires. The attorneys general warned that important emergency services are at risk if funding does not get unfrozen soon. Earlier this month, Chief US District Judge John McConnell issued a long-term injunction against the spending freeze. He highlighted the severe effects of holding back trillions of dollars meant for grants and assistance across the country. Critics say the administration is not complying with court decisions it does not agree with. The White House has not commented yet. However, the Justice Department indicated that FEMA is reviewing the funding to ensure that everything is in order. They explained that this extra step is to guarantee that payment requests are properly checked before releasing any funds. New York Attorney General Letitia James, leading the group of attorneys general, mentioned that FEMA has not released significant funds for disaster preparedness and recovery. She emphasized that the Trump administration is endangering lives by continuing the freeze on disaster relief funds. James stated they have taken legal action to restore the essential funding that communities need.