Here's What We Know About Trump's Pause on Federal Spending

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

57% : It does include Medicare insurance programs, federal health care for retirees and people with disabilities, and Social Security, which provides monthly payments to retirees and other qualified individuals, as well as federal food and cash assistance programs, contradicting the original memo.
56% : In the memo's footnotes, it defines federal assistance as this:For the purposes of this memorandum, Federal financial assistance includes: (i) all forms of assistance listed in paragraphs (1) and (2) of the definition of this term at 2 CFR 200.1; and (ii) assistance received or administered by recipients or subrecipients of any type except for assistance received directly by individuals.
53% : When asked about Medicaid, Leavitt said she would get back to the reporter.
49% : It emphasized that the pause would not affect food assistance, student loans and Medicaid.
47% : "Social Security benefits, Medicare benefits, food stamps, welfare benefits, assistance that is going directly to individuals will not be impacted by this pause, and I want to make that very clear to any Americans who are watching at home, who may be a little bit confused about some of the media reporting on this administration, if you are receiving individual assistance from the federal government, you will still continue to receive that.
45% : Widespread confusion over vague language used in the original OMB memo and statements from the Trump administration contradicting the original memo -- as well as reports of federal platforms for Medicaid and other programs being shut down -- means it's impossible for Snopes to determine what specific programs will be affected should the directive go into effect.
45% : The memo's footnotes say it would not affect Medicare, Social Security or "assistance provided directly to individuals," thus presumably sparing food stamps, cash assistance and similar programs.
45% : Another footnote specifically said that "nothing in this memo should be construed to impact Medicare or Social Security."
45% : This support document does not appear to include Medicaid, federal health care insurance for low-income people.
43% : It also defines federal financial assistance as aid received by non-federal groups as loans, loan guarantees, interest subsidies and insurance.
41% : It does not mention Medicaid or any other specific programs.
41% : According to the document being shared, Medicaid and SNAP, the federal food assistance program, will not be affected.
38% : In short, the original memo contradicted statements made by the Trump administration after it was leaked, and despite the White House's assurances to the contrary, there is credible evidence that the memo affected programs like Medicaid and Head Start.
33% : The most recent version of this document available online defines federal financial assistance as aid received by non-federal groups as grants, cooperative agreements, non-cash contributions or donations of property, direct appropriations (cash), food commodities and "other financial assistance."

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