Sometimes more talking doesn’t produce more clarity. One afternoon, Trump told reporters that there were “no surprises” when Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski decided to oppose Pete Hegseth to lead the Pentagon. The next morning, Trump said he was “very surprised” by their votes.

The White House budget office on Wednesday rescinded an order freezing federal grants, according to a copy of a new memo obtained by The Washington Post, after the administration’s move to halt spending earlier this week provoked a backlash.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s budget office on Wednesday rescinded an order freezing spending on federal grants, less than two days after it sparked widespread confusion and legal challenges across the country, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The email is the most sweeping effort yet by the new Trump administration to shrink the ranks of government employees.

The order sparked uncertainty over a crucial financial lifeline for states, schools and organizations that rely on trillions of dollars from Washington.

A federal judge put a temporary hold on the White House directive as Washington and 21 other states filed a lawsuit.