Democrats declared victory for blunting Trump’s momentum while the White House insisted it isn’t backing down.

The order is "a potential five-alarm fire" for organizations that serve communities, nonprofit group executive says.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt vehemently defended the administration’s sweeping freeze on federal aid, arguing Tuesday in her first press briefing that it was critical to scrutinize the scope of the government’s spending.

Administration officials said the decision to halt loans and grants was necessary to ensure that spending complies with Trump’s recent blitz of executive orders.