• Point72 founder and New York Mets owner Steve Cohen spoke at iConnections' Miami conference Tuesday.
• Cohen said Chinese company DeepSeek's recent breakthroughs are good for the AI industry overall.
• "It advances the move to artificial superintelligence. And that's coming, it's coming quick," he said.

Billionaire Steve Cohen isn't worried that the US has lost any kind of AI race with China just because of DeepSeek's recent breakthroughs.

The Chinese AI startup has vaporized hundreds of billions of market value from some of the biggest names in the S&P 500 with its open-source models. Still, Cohen — whose firm, $37 billion hedge fund Point72, has a fund dedicated to AI named Turion that's expected to grow to $1.5 billion — believes "what happened with DeepSeek is actually super bullish" for the industry.

"It advances the move to artificial superintelligence. And that's coming, it's coming quick," said Cohen, speaking at the iConnections conference in Miami.

Bumps in the road for the companies on the path to superintelligence are just that, he said — bumps in the road.

"There's going to be a lot of winners here, and it's going to be episodic. It's not going to go in a straight line," he said, according to a recording of his talk obtained by Business Insider.

While he's optimistic about AI's potential, Cohen said the overall market could slow down due to President Donald Trump's immigration and trade policies.

Cohen, who has supported former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in the past, said Trump's focus on "unleashing America" and shedding regulations has "a lot to like." However, he believes the tariff and immigration policies proposed by the administration would slow growth this year.

"Tariffs are a tax, and that's going to slow consumer spending," he said. He thinks the economy will grow 2.5% in 2025's first half but slow in the second half to around 1.5%, and the Federal Reserve will struggle to hit its 2% inflation target thanks to unemployment remaining low due to a severe drop in immigration.

"I would expect the market to top over the next couple of months if it hasn't already topped already," he said.

Wherever the market ends up this year, though, Cohen won't be trading it, at least not for his firm's investors. While he's regarded as one of the greatest stockpickers to ever live, Cohen decided to step away from trading last year to focus on running his two companies, Point72 and Major League Baseball's New York Mets.

"I describe it as being immersed in a video game, and it's so immersive that you just forget what's going on around you," he said of trading, and without it, he's able to focus more on the people at his companies.

"I'm 68 and had this vision of being 70, still behind screens. I was like, 'That doesn't make sense,'" Cohen said.

• A judge has paused President Donald Trump's pause of federal grants, AP reported.
• The directive would have temporarily frozen federal grants to agencies like FEMA and the SBA.
• The judge's ruling pauses the order until Monday afternoon, protecting funding for existing programs.

A federal judge has temporarily prevented President Donald Trump's directive to freeze federal grants from taking effect Tuesday evening, according to the Associated Press.

US District Judge Loren L. AliKhan's decision will protect funding for existing programs until Monday afternoon.

The directive, which caused widespread panic among federal employees when it was announced early Tuesday, would have impacted funding at agencies like FEMA and the Small Business Administration.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

• Trump's administration announced a temporary freeze on federal grants and loans set to begin Tuesday evening.
• The Education Department said student loans and Pell Grants will not be impacted.
• It's still unclear which federal programs, like rental aid and nutrition assistance, will be impacted.

Some student loan borrowers won't have to worry about President Donald Trump's sweeping federal funding freeze.

The Department of Education said in a statement to Business Insider that the funding pause only applies to "discretionary grants" at the agency. The Department did not immediately clarify what is considered a discretionary grant. A federal judge temporarily blocked the freeze right before it was set to go into effect at 5 p.m. ET Tuesday.

"The temporary pause does not impact Title I, IDEA, or other formula grants, nor does it apply to Federal Pell Grants and Direct Loans under Title IV, HEA," Madi Biedermann, spokesperson for the Department of Education, said in a statement. "The Department is working with OMB to identify other programs that are not covered by the memo."

Pell Grants are awarded to low-income students who demonstrate financial need, with the maximum award now standing at just over $7,000. Additionally, over 40 million Americans rely on federal student loans to help them finance their higher education, and those loans will continue to be disbursed during the funding freeze.

The Office of Management and Budget's memo sent to federal agencies Monday night sparked confusion due to its lack of clarity on which programs would be impacted by the funding freeze. The memo appeared to be partly focused on ensuring federal agency spending aligned with Trump's agenda, saying that paused payments must include "financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal."

Other federal agencies told BI that they're reviewing the executive orders, and pausing accordingly. The National Science Foundation, for instance, has said that "all review panels, new awards, and all payments of funds under open awards will be paused as the agency conducts the required reviews and analysis." An EPA spokesperson said the agency "is temporarily pausing all activities related to the obligation or disbursement of EPA Federal financial assistance at this time."

Some experts also told Business Insider that programs scheduled to receive funding in a matter of days, including Head Start and Section 8 housing vouchers, are at a higher risk. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy wrote in a post on X that in his state of Connecticut, "the Head Start reimbursement system IS shut down. Preschools cannot pay staff and will need to start laying off staff very soon and sending little kids home."

As of Tuesday afternoon, BI reporters had contacted more than 65 federal, state, and nonprofit agencies and universities. Those who responded overwhelmingly said they had no idea how the federal funding freeze would affect their work and were actively trying to figure it out.

The funding pause was set to begin at 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday. A follow-up memo from the OMB said that "any program that provides direct benefits to Americans is explicitly excluded from the pause and exempted from this review process," which includes student loans, SNAP, Social Security, and Medicare.

Are you a federal worker, or do you receive some form of federal assistance? Contact these reporters at [email protected] and [email protected].

• Starbucks reported first-quarter earnings late Tuesday.
• The results beat expectations, although comparable sales still fell.
• New Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol has been making changes at the chain.

Starbucks has turned to a new CEO and a new strategy to stop sales tumbling. Although it's early days, it looks like the first steps have added a small caffeine boost to the company.

Comparable sales fell 4% for the quarter ended December 29. While still a decline, analysts surveyed by Bloomberg were expecting a drop of 5.3%. Net revenue reached $9.4 billion, also slightly beating estimates.

Shares of Starbucks rose as much as 4% in after-hours trading on Tuesday on the results.

Starbucks is in the middle of a turnaround effort. Sales have fallen in recent quarters, and store workers have told Business Insider that they are often understaffed and struggle to make drinks and food in a timely manner.

CEO Brian Niccol, who joined the company from Chipotle in September, has said that he wants to cut wait times for orders to four minutes or less while also making Starbucks stores places where customers want to hang out.

"While we're only one quarter into our turnaround, we're moving quickly to act on the 'Back to Starbucks' efforts and we've seen a positive response," Niccol said Tuesday.

The changes so far include limiting bathroom access and free water to paying customers, as well as asking baristas to add handwritten notes to to-go cups.

Do you work at Starbucks and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at [email protected].

• Wall Street analysts changed their Lockheed ratings after photos emerged of new Chinese jets.
• They worry that the US could buy fewer Lockheed F-35s in favor of future jets still being designed.
• However, there is little evidence so far China's new aircraft could match the F-35's capabilities.

Glimpses of China's next-generation jet fighter don't just worry the Pentagon.

Wall Street worries that Lockheed Martin — maker of the three versions of the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, the most expensive weapon in history — could see its stock price tumble if the US military opts to buy fewer F-35s in favor of more advanced aircraft.

Deutsche Bank analyst Scott Deuschle had raised Lockheed's rating to Buy in July, as market analysts predicted that multiple wars and higher global defense spending would boost revenue for the giant defense firm. Lockheed stock took a tumble Tuesday after trading around $500 a share, versus around $400 just before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which has precipitated a frantic arms buildup in Europe and beyond.

But Deuschle downgraded Lockheed after China unveiled two stealth fighter prototypes in December. Little is known about the prototypes but some worry they could outmatch the F-35, a fifth-generation aircraft that first flew in 2006. Other investment banks also cut their ratings for Lockheed.

"We're downgrading Lockheed to Hold (from Buy) as we feel our prior thesis struggles to hold water and we have increased concern on the long-term support for F-35 in the face of China's combat aircraft modernization efforts," Deuschle recently told investors, according to the Barron's financial newspaper. His estimate for Lockheed's share price dropped from $611 to $523.

The crux of the issue is that the US military is buying lots of F-35s. The Air Force plans to acquire 1,763 F-35A models by 2049, the Navy 273 carrier-based F-35Cs, and the Marine Corps 67 F-35Cs and 353 jump-jet F-35Bs. And this comes amid the increasing clout of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, a top Trump advisor who recently called manned fighter jets like the F-35 obsolete.

Yet at the same time, the military is developing sixth-generation fighters, including the Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance program (NGAD) and the Navy's F/A-XX, the replacement for its carrier-based fighters like the Super Hornet. The NGAD, which the Air Force hopes could fly by 2030, will have more advanced features than the F-35, including better engines, sensors and stealth capabilities, as well as the ability to team with robot fighters such as the Collaborative Combat Aircraft.

If sixth-generation fighters are coming, analysts worry that the Pentagon could buy fewer F-35s and spend the money on more advanced aircraft. "The reveal of further advancements in combat aircraft capabilities by China as potentially undermining long-term [Department of Defense] demand for the F-35 aircraft," Deuschle wrote.

Deuschle's concern is real, however there's little public evidence to compare the new Chinese prototypes pound-for-pound with the F-35; even whether it is a fifth-generation aircraft is debated, with some airpower experts skeptical China has built the world's first six-generation aircraft.

The F-35 has become the poster child for what critics denounce as wasteful government spending by the military-industrial complex. The program has been mired in controversy, delays and cost overruns since its inception in the 1990s.

The total price of the F-35, including acquisition and maintenance, has soared to more than $2 trillion, which is more than the annual GDP of most nations (US gross domestic product is $27.3 trillion). Even though more than 1,000 aircraft have already been delivered to the US and other nations, there are still concerns about bugs such as excessive maintenance demands, fragile stealth coatings, and a cannon that can't shoot straight.

Compounding the problem is that F-35 acquisition will stretch over decades. Only 110 were delivered in 2024, and the US Air Force won't receive the last jet until 2049. Given how rapidly technology evolves, a procurement program that stretches out more than 40 years is bound to struggle with obsolescence at some point.

Nonetheless, the fact that the F-35 has survived all the controversy is a warning not to underestimate its prospects. Put simply, the F-35 program may be too big to fail. The US military has invested enormous resources — and prestige — in the aircraft, while politicians may be reluctant to kill the golden goose. "More than 1,900 suppliers build and sustain the F-35 program in 48 US states and in more than 10 countries," boasts Lockheed Martin's F-35 website. Lockheed's net earnings fell in the fourth quarter to $527 million, down from $1.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023, and contributed to the stock's slide to $457 per share.

Whatever the flaws of the F-35, what aircraft could realistically replace it right now? The US combat air fleet is aging: the average F-16, for example, is more than 30 years old. The Air Force has hedged its bets by buying some F-15EX fighters to supplement the F-35. But while the F-15 has proven highly capable, an upgraded 1980s design can only so far into the 21st Century.

That pretty much leaves the inchoate NGAD as the alternative. But this naturally raises another question: given the problems with the F-35 and other big Pentagon projects, what if America's sixth-generation fighter projects also suffer delays, cost overruns and teething problems? The Air Force has already paused the NGAD program amid estimates that the NGAD fighters will cost $250 million apiece, or about triple the price of an F-35.

Skeptics may also question the alarm over China's new aircraft. So far, all the world has seen is a few images of two new Chinese aircraft. Despite breathless warnings that China might field a sixth-generation fighter before America does, the capabilities — and limitations — of the Chinese designs have yet to be revealed.

During the Cold War, new Russian weapons would be unveiled that would spur American fears of falling behind in the arms race, such as the mythical "bomber gap" of the 1950s. Often these Russian wonder weapons turned out to be dismal on the battlefield. America and China are vying to develop sixth-generation aircraft and other technologies like hypersonic missiles. But the threat posed by new Chinese stealth aircraft could similarly prove illusory.

Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

• As US tech companies prep for earnings this week, there's one major topic on analysts' minds.
• China's DeepSeek introduced an AI model that's similarly effective to US ones but at a lower cost.
• Big Tech is expected to address DeepSeek's potential impact on AI spending during earnings calls.

DeepSeek just made this earnings season a lot more interesting.

A slew of Big Tech names are due to report this week and next. Tesla, Meta, and Microsoft take center stage on January 29, with Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon hot on their heels.

Investors were already scrutinizing the companies, which have been spending multiple billions of dollars on building AI models and infrastructure, for signs about whether the outlay on staff, chips, and data centers is delivering returns.

Now DeepSeek has made justifying that spending to investors and analysts a lot trickier for execs, PR, and IR.

"I expect pretty much everyone to get questions on it," Morningstar analyst William Kerwin said.

DeepSeek's new AI model, R1, shook the tech industry this week, wiping more than $1 trillion off US stocks in market cap in one day. It offers a model that seems similarly effective to ones made by US companies. Moreover, the Chinese company said it cost less than $6 million to train.

In comparison, Meta has said it plans to invest over $60 billion in AI infrastructure in 2025. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump announced a $500 billion partnership involving OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank to build AI infrastructure in the US.

Markets stabilized a little by Tuesday, but the panic shows how DeepSeek's impact will be top of mind during earnings calls, analysts told Business Insider.

Investors will want to know if R1 changes companies' views on future infrastructure spending, Kerwin said.

That could "temper the demand" for chips from Nvidia, Forrester analysts said in a Tuesday note. Tech companies like Meta and Elon Musk's xAI have been buying and using hundreds of thousands of specialist Nvidia chips for their AI models, helping its stock price rocket. Monday's tech rout already wiped about 17% off Nvidia's market cap.

However, having access to cheaper models could pay off in the longer term because of "creation opportunities for many, many more startups and enterprises alike, thereby increasing demand," per Forrester.

Apple, which reports after the bell on Thursday, stands to gain from a decline in cost for AI training. The iPhone maker took a lower-cost AI strategy than competitors, and it would benefit from integrating cost-effective training for Apple Intelligence, analysts told BI.

Although Apple's stock gained on Monday, CEO Tim Cook should still expect DeepSeek chatter, analysts said.

Nvidia won't report earnings until February 26, yet will likely still have to answer DeepSeek questions.

And across the board, "Beyond cost concerns, tech leaders will need to address whether this signals a need to shift toward more efficient AI development approaches that could reshape strategic planning," Jacob Bourne, analyst at BI sister company EMARKETER, said.

• Some workers said Trump's federal grant freeze has thrown government agencies into disarray, creating confusion.
• At agencies like FEMA, some tried to get payments out the door before the 5 p.m. ET Tuesday deadline.
• "The general chaos is grinding things to a halt," one SBA employee told Business Insider, as staff struggle to adjust to the new administration.

The Trump administration's "temporary pause" on federal grant and loan awards sparked a range of reactions from rank-and-file workers within the federal government, from frustration to outright surprise.

One Federal Emergency Management Agency employee who spoke to Business Insider Tuesday morning was blindsided by news of the funding freeze.

"The grants are frozen, is that what you said?" she asked.

Another FEMA employee described working with colleagues to try to cut checks for aid as quickly as possible. "We're trying to get as much obligated as we can before 5 p.m. today," the employee said. But the employee was skeptical everything would get done; granting FEMA aid is a multi-stage process and some claims hadn't advanced far enough to be approved by the oncoming deadline.

Another federal worker said the freeze endangered two congressional grants to private foundations as well as a grant to their own agency. "They were put on hold today," the employee said. "No payments in or out."

For others, the freeze simply adds to the mounting issues facing the federal workforce. "We are thinking about the impact but there's no official word," one federal worker said. They said that Trump's return-to-office order, the resignation of colleagues, and attempts to scrub language surrounding DEI were taking precedence.

All of the workers were granted anonymity in order to speak freely about their work. Their employment was confirmed by BI.

One former federal worker and Biden administration official, who left the government two weeks ago, said that even a brief pause can have outsize impacts. Short delays, they said, lead to much longer delays, particularly when private workers who contract with the federal government can't be paid.

Two employees at the Small Business Administration said they hadn't been given any indications about how their work would be impacted. The SBA gives out loans to businesses to aid in job creation and recovery from emergencies.

It's been "mostly just chaos, with all the HR changes," one of the SBA employees said. "The general chaos is grinding things to a halt as people don't know what is going to come next."

Minutes before the freeze was set to take effect at 5 p.m. ET Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan temporarily blocked the action, according to the Associated Press. The administrative stay pauses the freeze until Monday.

The decision to withhold funds isn't unprecedented. In 2017, shortly after President Trump first took office, ProPublica reported that the Environmental Protection Agency was stopped from making grants and signing new contracts.

However, the size and nature of the most recent freeze, with only Social Security and Medicare benefits and direct benefits to individuals exempted, is notable.

On Tuesday morning, nonprofit organizations filed a lawsuit in an attempt to stop the freeze, and six attorneys general announced they plan to sue. At a press conference on Tuesday morning, Sen. Chuck Schumer called the freeze "unconstitutional" and "illegal."

Have a tip? Know more? Reach Jack Newsham via email ([email protected]) or via Signal (+1-314-971-1627). Do not use a work device.

• There have been over 60 seasons of "Bachelor"-related TV.
• That means there have also been dozens of "Bachelor" relationships, both failed and successful.
• The latest season of "The Bachelor" premiered on Monday.

"The Bachelor" and its related spinoffs are about one thing: finding love.

Yet, while there have been almost 60 seasons of Bachelor Nation content, there are only 30 couples from the franchise still together.

Last year, Jenn Tran became the first Asian American Bachelorette in the franchise's history. Unfortunately, her season concluded in September without a happy ending.

While Tran had proposed to Devin Strander in April, Strander called off their engagement before the finale even aired, earning him villain status with fans.

That means they won't be joining this list of couples from the franchise who are still together — though, if Grant Ellis, our latest "Bachelor," has better luck with his season, he'll be joining this small club soon.

Joey Graziadei and Kelsey Anderson

Joey Graziadei proposed to Kelsey Anderson during the March 2024 finale of "The Bachelor."

Graziadei has become a fan-favorite lead in this long and storied franchise since he came in second on Charity Lawson's season of "The Bachelorette" in 2023.

In fact, his Fantasy Suites episode was the most-watched episode of the show since the 2022 finale of Clayton Echard's season, according to Variety.

So, many people were delighted to see him propose to Anderson on a beach in Tulum and to watch her say yes.

They confirmed during "After the Final Rose" that they are still engaged, and have since moved to Los Angeles after Graziadei won "Dancing with the Stars."

Dotun Olubeko and Charity Lawson

Dotun Olubeko got down on one knee and proposed to Charity Lawson, as fans saw on the "Bachelorette" finale in August 2023.

Lawson, who appeared on Zach Shallcross' season of "The Bachelor" earlier in the year, proved herself to be a steadying presence on a show usually filled with drama.

"The Bachelorette" viewers saw Olubeko and Lawson develop a strong relationship, grow as a couple, and eventually get engaged in Fiji.

"We're not really trying to have a super incredibly 17-year length engagement," Lawson told People following the finale. "We obviously came here to find love, and we have successfully done that."

Tessa Tookes and Joey Kirchner

Tessa Tookes, who appeared on Clayton Echard's season of "The Bachelor," found love on "Bachelor in Paradise Canada" in 2022. She married Joey Kirchner in September 2024.

Tookes, who was eliminated during week two of Echard's season in 2022, provided viewers with a franchise first during the season two finale of "Bachelor in Paradise Canada": She became the first woman to propose to a man on the show when she asked Kirchner (first seen on season one of "Bachelor in Paradise Canada" in 2021) to marry her.

Speaking to Yahoo Canada about her decision, Tookes said, "I know my love for Joey. Even if he declined, I'd still feel really good about making that call. And women can propose." She added, "It felt really good to do something that's never been done before."

According to an Instagram post by Tookes, the two wed in September 2024 in Ontario.

Zach Shallcross and Kaity Biggar

Fans watched as Zach Shallcross successfully proposed to Kaity Biggar in March 2023.

After a very dramatic final week as the lead, Shallcross — who originally appeared on Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey's season of "The Bachelorette" in 2022 — got down on one knee in Thailand and proposed to Biggar during the finale, which aired in March 2023.

That month, Shallcross told People, "Right now, the main emphasis is living together in Austin, getting to know each other more and more, and just see how things go. There's no rush."

In July 2023, Biggar posted on Instagram that the two are "officially roommates" in Austin together, and are still together in 2025 — though they've paused on wedding planning to focus on saving up for a house, according to an appearance on "Almost Famous."

Serena Pitt and Joe Amabile

Serena Pitt and Joe Amabile got married (again) in Charleston in September 2023 after meeting on the seventh season of "Bachelor in Paradise."

Throughout the entire seventh season of "Paradise," there wasn't a stronger couple than "Grocery Store Joe" Amabile (originally from Becca Kufrin's season in 2018) and Pitt (from Matt James' season in 2021). Even though Amabile's "Paradise" ex, Kendall Long, showed up at the proposal, nothing could shake their relationship.

They left the beach engaged in fall 2021, and just over a year later, they got married at a New York City courthouse with "Paradise" castmate Natasha Parker as a witness. The couple posted footage from their courthouse ceremony to Instagram in October 2022 and wrote in the caption that they still planned to have a wedding the following September.

Shortly after getting married, they told People: "We still plan on having a big wedding next fall that we are already planning, but with everything being so public in our relationship, having a private moment just the two of us felt so special and intimate."

In September 2023, they got married again, this time in front of their friends and family — with "Paradise" bartender Wells Adams officiating.

Kenny Braasch and Mari Pepin

Kenny Braasch and Mari Pepin wed in November 2023, after having a rocky time in "Paradise."

After starting off strong, Pepin, who was on Matt James' season in 2021, decided that she wanted to be able to date other people. Braasch, from Clare Crawley and Tayshia Adams' season in 2020, then started pursuing castmates Demi Burnett and Tia Booth.

However, Pepin soon decided she wanted Braasch back, and they got back together. He even proposed at the end of the season.

As People reported, the two got married in Puerto Rico in November 2023.

Becca Kufrin and Thomas Jacobs

Becca Kufrin and Thomas Jacobs broke up, but they later rekindled their romance off-screen. Now, they're married, and Kufrin gave birth to their first child in September 2023.

After getting dumped on TV by Arie Luyendyk in 2018, Kufrin went on to star in her own season of "The Bachelorette" that year. She confirmed on an episode of her podcast, "Bachelor Happy Hour," that her relationship with the winner, Garrett Yrigoyen, ended in 2020.

Then, when Kufrin appeared on "Paradise" in 2021, she was hesitant to date Jacobs, who had appeared on Katie Thurston's season earlier in the year and was portrayed as one of the season's villains. However, the two built a solid relationship during the show, until Kufrin called things off during the "Paradise" finale.

The two reconnected off-screen and began dating. In May 2022, they revealed on Instagram that they'd gotten engaged and, as Kufrin wrote in the caption, "in the ultimate plot twist," she proposed to Jacobs.

In October 2022, Jacobs returned the favor and proposed to Kufrin. "We are so excited! It's time we can finally start wedding planning," Kufrin told People at the time.

Kufrin announced her pregnancy in April 2023. In September 2023, the two confirmed the birth of their son, Benson, on Instagram. The next month, they tied the knot.

Noah Erb and Abigail Heringer

Noah Erb and Abigail Heringer got married in October 2024.

Heringer, from Matt James' season in 2021, and Erb, from Tayshia Adams' season in 2020, went on the first date of their season of "Paradise" and they were together for the entire season, with a few hiccups along the way.

In the penultimate episode of the season, Erb decided that he was simultaneously falling in love with Heringer and didn't think she was "his person." They left Mexico separately.

But like Kufrin and Jacobs, the two reconnected post-"Paradise," which they confirmed during the reunion in October 2021.

The two announced on Instagram in August 2023 that they were engaged, accompanied by a caption that referenced Taylor Swift's song "Lover." They wed 14 months later in Oklahoma.

Chris Conran and Alana Milne

Chris Conran and Alana Milne got kicked off "Paradise" together in 2021. They got engaged in March 2024.

Conran, who was eliminated on night one of Clare Crawley's season in 2020, was originally dating Jessenia Cruz of Matt James' season in 2021, but that changed when Alana Milne, also from James' season, entered the beach.

The two quickly decided to pursue a relationship, leaving Cruz in the dust. In turn, everyone on the beach ganged up on them and claimed that they'd been dating pre-"Paradise," a claim they both denied.

After the cast essentially told them that none of them would speak to the couple if they stayed, they left separately.

But then Conran and Milne were spotted hanging out together, and Milne confirmed the relationship on her Instagram story, posting a photo of the two kissing captioned, "Paradise is wherever I'm with you." Conran reposted and wrote: "3 months of no cameras or producers."

In March 2024, the duo posted on Instagram confirming their engagement.

Dylan Barbour and Hannah Godwin

After a rocky start, Dylan Barbour and Hannah Godwin made it through season six of "BIP." They got married at a French estate in August 2023.

Barbour (from Hannah Brown's season of "The Bachelorette" in 2019) made it clear that he was only there for Godwin — who was left blindsided on Colton Underwood's season of "The Bachelor," also in 2019 — during the first episode of season six of "Paradise" in 2019. However, she needed a little more time to explore things with Blake Horstmann, a runner-up on Becca Kufrin's season of "The Bachelorette."

Horstmann had even flown down to Alabama to visit her before the two began filming for "Bachelor in Paradise," a fact that was withheld from the rest of the cast (and the viewing public) until the fourth episode.

But Godwin chose to stick with Barbour, and the two got engaged on the finale, which aired in September 2019. They married in August 2023.

Dean and Caelynn Bell

After meeting on "Bachelor in Paradise" in 2019, Dean Bell (née) Unglert and Caelynn Bell (née) Miller-Keyes wed in September 2023.

When Unglert, who was on Rachel Lindsay's season of "The Bachelorette" in 2017, left "Paradise" early, Miller-Keyes was devastated. But he returned to say he had made a mistake and asked Miller-Keyes to leave Mexico with him to figure out their relationship.

This wasn't a complete surprise, as E! News reported in July 2019 that the two were dating, but fans finally got to see how their relationship unfolded during an episode of "Bachelor in Paradise" that aired in September 2019.

Miller-Keyes, who made it to hometown dates on Colton Underwood's season in 2018, left behind her rebound guy, Connor Saeli, from Hannah Brown's season of "The Bachelorette" in 2019 to join Unglert in his much-discussed van.

In October 2022, a source told People that Unglert and Miller-Keyes were engaged. That month, Unglert also spoke about the proposal during an episode of his podcast with fellow "Bachelor" alum Jared Haibon. A few days later, Unglert confirmed the news on his Instagram.

They married in September 2023 at a Colorado mountain resort outside Aspen and changed their last names to Bell, Unglert's mother's maiden name.

Kevin Wendt and Astrid Loch

Kevin Wendt and Astrid Loch started dating during "Bachelor in Paradise" in 2018. They're now married with two kids.

Known affectionately by their fellow "Paradise" contestants as "Mom and Dad," the cast was shocked when the most solid couple of the season broke up on the last day of "Paradise" during season five in September 2018.

Wendt, straight off a stint on "Bachelor Winter Games" in 2018, copped to still being affected by his split from ex-girlfriend Ashley Iaconetti (who appears elsewhere on this list). Loch, from Nick Viall's season of "The Bachelor" in 2017, was blindsided.

The two were brought together again during the reunion episode. They got engaged in August 2019 and welcomed their son August in November 2021, People reported. They married in October 2022.

In February 2023, Loch shared that they were expecting their second child, and their son, Nash, was born in October.

Arie Luyendyk and Lauren Burnham

Arie Luyendyk and Lauren Burnham got engaged on the "After the Final Rose" special after Luyendyk shocked the world by dumping Becca Kufrin on TV. They're now married with three kids.

Luyendyk first appeared on the eighth season of "The Bachelorette" in 2012, competing for the love of Emily Maynard. He eventually became the runner-up.

In 2017, ABC made the surprising move to bring him back for the 22nd season of "The Bachelor," where viewers watched him propose to Kufrin.

Soon after the proposal, however, Luyendyk decided he had made a mistake and contacted Burnham, the runner-up from his season, before breaking up with Kufrin while the cameras were rolling, making for a controversial moment in Bachelor Nation's history.

Luyendyk and Burnham began their relationship anew, and he proposed to her on the live "After the Final Rose" special, which aired after the finale in March 2018.

They had a destination wedding in Hawaii in January 2019, People reported, and their daughter, Alessi, was born in May of that year.

They later welcomed twins Lux and Senna in June 2021.

Raven Gates and Adam Gottschalk

Raven Gates and Adam Gottschalk found love on season four of "Bachelor in Paradise." They got married in April 2021 and now have two kids together.

Gates quickly became a fan favorite while she was a contestant on Nick Viall's season of "The Bachelor" in 2017. After finishing in second place, she made her way to Mexico for "Bachelor in Paradise" that August where she met Gottschalk, who had been a contestant on Rachel Lindsay's season of "The Bachelorette" earlier that year.

In June 2019, they shared matching Instagram posts announcing their engagement. Gates revealed on social media that they postponed their May 2020 wedding due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they finally married in April 2021, as she shared on Instagram.

Their son Gates was born in January 2022, and their son Max was born in July 2023.

Jordan Rodgers and JoJo Fletcher

Jordan Rodgers proposed to JoJo Fletcher during season 12 of "The Bachelorette." They got married in May 2022.

After Fletcher, first seen on Ben Higgins' season in 2016, sent Robby Hayes home, she accepted a proposal from Rodgers on the "The Bachelorette," which aired later that year.

Years later, Fletcher and Rodgers are still together. In fact, in August 2019, Rodgers "re-proposed" to Fletcher, complete with a new ring, as Fletcher shared on Instagram. In May 2022, after six years together and two postponed wedding dates, Fletcher and Rodgers married at a California winery.

The couple also had a reality series on CNBC, "Cash Pad," where they partnered with "homeowners hoping to turn their properties into ideal short-term rentals," according to the network.

They also hosted the competition show "Battle of the Fittest Couples" from October to December 2019 on the Paramount Network, and another competition show, "The Big D," on USA from June to August 2023.

Jared Haibon and Ashley Iaconetti

Jared Haibon and Ashley Iaconetti's love story began in 2015. They married in August 2019, and now have two kids.

In 2015, Haibon and Iaconetti competed on Kaitlyn Bristowe and Chris Soules' seasons of "The Bachelorette" and "The Bachelor" respectively, and met during the second season of "Bachelor in Paradise" in 2015. At the time, Iaconetti was smitten, but Haibon wasn't as interested.

According to a 45-minute video the couple released on Iaconetti's YouTube channel about how they fell in love, Haibon realized he had to make his move when Iaconetti returned from "Bachelor Winter Games" in 2018 with a boyfriend (Kevin Wendt).

Their relationship was made Instagram-official in May 2018, and Haibon proposed just a few weeks later, as E! News reported. The couple married in Rhode Island in August 2019, with a number of Bachelor Nation members in attendance at their wedding, as People reported at the time.

In March 2021, they announced their move to Rhode Island on Instagram and opened Audrey's Coffeehouse and Lounge in South Kingstown.

Their son, Dawson, was born in January 2022.

In January 2024, Iaconetti and Haibon announced that she was pregnant with their second baby. Their son Hayden was born in July.

Jade Roper and Tanner Tolbert

Jade Roper and Tanner Tolbert met on "Bachelor in Paradise" in 2015 and got married eight months later. They welcomed their third child in November 2020.

Tolbert was originally on Kaitlyn Bristowe's season, while Roper was on Chris Soules' season of "The Bachelor," both in 2015.

But now, "Janner," as they're known, are the gold standard for "Bachelor in Paradise" couples. They were the first in the spinoff's history to get engaged and actually get married — there had been a few false starts with other couples — and they have been making it work ever since their finale aired in September 2015.

They had their issues — which were shown on their season of "Marriage Boot Camp" in 2016 — but they worked through them.

Their first daughter, Emerson, was born in August 2017. Their son, Brooks, was born in July 2019, after Roper gave birth in her closet, which she shared on Instagram. And in November 2020, they welcomed their third child, Reed.

In August 2023, Roper shared on Instagram that she was experiencing "a missed miscarriage," and said her unborn son's heart had stopped though her body hadn't "released the pregnancy yet."

"I've been carrying him with so much pride and cherish every moment still left with part of him, but it has also been equally as challenging and devastating," she wrote.

Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici

Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici remain the sole winning "Bachelor" couple to get married. Giudici gave birth to their third child in December 2019.

Lowe is the only "Bachelor" lead (season 17, 2013) who has stayed with the winner of his season — both Jason Mesnick and Arie Luyendyk returned to the runners-up of their seasons. Lowe had previously appeared on Emily Maynard's season of "The Bachelorette" in 2012.

As People reported, Lowe and Giudici had their first son, Samuel, in July 2016, two years after their televised wedding in 2014. Their second son, Isaiah, was born in June 2018.

Their third child, a daughter they named Mia, was born in December 2019.

Chris Siegfried and Desiree Hartsock

Chris Siegfried proposed to Desiree Hartsock on season nine of "The Bachelorette." They got married in 2015 and had their first child in 2016, their second in January 2019, and their third in November 2024.

Hartsock originally appeared on Sean Lowe's season of "The Bachelor" in 2013, but she was sent home. Her season of "The Bachelorette" was especially controversial — she was broken up with by Brooks Forester during the second-to-last week of the show, who many considered to be the frontrunner. Some fans believed Hartsock was settling when she accepted Siegfried's proposal back in August 2013.

Despite the controversy, Siegfried and Hartsock got married in January 2015. Their son, Asher, was born a year later. In July 2018, the couple told Us Weekly that they were expecting their second child, Zander. He was born in January 2019.

Also, in 2018, the couple appeared on "Marriage Boot Camp," a show where couples confront the marital issues they're facing. They decided to stay together and work on their relationship.

In May 2024, Siegfried announced she was pregnant with their third child. Their son, Noah, was born that November.

Joan Vassos and Chock Chapple

Our very first "Golden Bachelorette" Joan Vassos got engaged to Chock Chapple during the season finale that aired in November 2024.

Vassos had appeared on "The Golden Bachelor" to compete for Gerry Turner's heart, but she had to exit in week three due to a family emergency. In May 2024, she was named the star of the first season of "The Golden Bachelorette."

Chapple was a frontrunner throughout the season, so it wasn't a big surprise when he got down on one knee and proposed.

According to social media, the two are still together and planning to move to New York City.

Holly Durst and Blake Julian

Holly Durst and Blake Julian have the distinction of being the only successful couple from the short-lived spinoff series "Bachelor Pad." They have two kids.

Durst and Julian met during the second season of "Bachelor Pad" in 2011. Julian was fresh off Ashley Hebert's season of "The Bachelorette," and Durst had last been seen on Matt Grant's season in 2008. Julian's proposal was announced during the season finale.

The two got married in June 2012.

In July 2019, Durst posted an Instagram video detailing their 7-year struggle with infertility, IVF, miscarriages, and surrogacy.

In September 2019, Julian and Durst revealed on Instagram that they had adopted a baby, Poppy.

Then, in January 2023, they announced the adoption of their son, Knox.

Jason Mesnick and Molly Malaney

Jason Mesnick proposed to Melissa Rycroft on the finale of his season of "The Bachelor," but revealed on "After the Final Rose" that he was still in love with runner-up Molly Malaney. They celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary in 2024.

Mesnick was originally on DeAnna Pappas' season in 2008. He proposed to Rycroft, dumped her on "After the Final Rose," and immediately asked Malaney if they could resume their relationship in March 2009, which they discussed during an interview with People that month.

Malaney and Mesnick were engaged later that year in October 2009, Mesnick confirmed to Us Weekly, and were married just a few months later.

Now, they're one of the few "Bachelor" success stories, even if their love story didn't start off in the most conventional way. They had their daughter Riley in 2013.

Things worked out for Rycroft, too. After the breakup, she reunited with her ex, Tye Strickland. They got married in 2009, and have three kids.

Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter

Trista Rehn was the very first "Bachelorette" and set a high bar for the franchise — she's been with the winner of her season, Ryan Sutter, since 2003.

Just uttering the words "Trista and Ryan" around a "Bachelor" fan will send them on a trip down memory lane. The year was 2003, and Trista was the very first "Bachelorette," after getting sent home as the runner-up of the first season of "The Bachelor."

Rehn chose Sutter in the finale, and he proposed. Their wedding was televised (the first of the franchise) and shown as a miniseries called "Trista and Ryan's Wedding^" in December 2003.

Rehn also appeared on the first season of "Dancing with the Stars" in 2005, and the couple appeared on "Marriage Boot Camp" in 2014. They're still married, live in Colorado, and have two kids, Max and Blakesley.

Brayden Bowers and Christina Mandrell

Brayden Bowers proposed to Christina Mandrell in January 2024 on live TV. They eloped in Nashville in December.

Bowers, of Lawson's season, might have been eliminated from "Bachelor in Paradise" after failing to secure a rose, but he was still able to find love within the franchise.

During the finale of season nine of "Paradise," which aired in December 2023, it was revealed that Bowers has been dating Mandrell, from Shallcross' season, for the last few months.

"Beyond the cameras and reality show drama, Brayden (aka MY BOYFRIEND!) and I found something truly special," Mandrell wrote on Instagram.

On the red carpet of Turner and Nist's televised wedding in January, Bowers got down on one knee and proposed to Mandrell, who accepted, as seen on Instagram. They surprised fans later that year by eloping, per People.

Anna Redman and Chris Bukowski

Anna Redman and Chris Bukowski announced their relationship on Instagram in March 2022.

Redman and Bukowski, both Chicago residents, made their relationship Instagram-official in March 2022, with Redman captioning a series of photos "hard launch." They moved in together a few months later.

While these two never interacted on-screen, they're both "Bachelor" alums. Bukowski has famously appeared on multiple seasons, including Emily Maynard's season of "The Bachelorette," season three of "Bachelor Pad," and three seasons of "Bachelor in Paradise." He unsuccessfully attempted to join Andi Dorfman's season of "The Bachelorette" as well.

Bachelor Nation reported that Bukowski got engaged to Katie Morton on his last appearance on "Paradise" in 2019, but they broke up a few months later, according to a since-deleted Instagram post.

You might remember Redman from her controversial appearance on Matt James' season of "The Bachelor" in 2021 when she spread rumors that a fellow contestant was "entertaining men for money." She later briefly appeared on "Bachelor in Paradise" later that year.

According to an episode of Joe Amabile's podcast "Clickbait," Amabile and his wife, Serena Pitt, introduced the two.

Jordan Chapman and Corrinne Jones

Jordan Chapman and Corrinne Jones never appeared on-screen together, but they found love in Bachelor Nation.

Chapman and Jones, from Clayshia's season in 2020 and Matt James' season in 2021, respectively, made their Instagram debut in September 2021.

They got engaged in September 2024.

It's unclear how exactly they met since they never overlapped on our TV screens, but Bachelor Nation is well-connected.

Mike Renner and Olivia Miller

Mike Renner and Olivia Miller are Bachelor Nation's self-proclaimed "most irrelevant" couple. They got engaged in July 2024.

If you remember either of these former "Bachelor" contestants, you're a true super-fan. Renner, a sports analyst, was eliminated during week three of Becca Kufrin's season of "The Bachelorette" in 2018. Miller, a stylist, is a more recent contestant, appearing on Zach Shallcross' season of "The Bachelor" in 2023, but she was sent home during night one.

They hard-launched their relationship in June 2023, according to Bachelor Nation, by calling themselves "Bachelor Nation's most irrelevant couple." Just over a year later, in July 2024, Renner proposed to Miller.

Peyton Wright and Chris Lambton

Peyton Wright and Chris Lambton also never interacted on-screen, but they met through friends from Bachelor Nation.

Wright and Lambton were never part of the same show — Wright appeared on the 10th season of "The Bachelor" competing for Andy Baldwin's heart in 2007 but was left behind on a two-on-one date. She later appeared on the first season of "Bachelor Pad."

Lambton, on the other hand, made it all the way to the final two in Ali Fedotowsky's season of  "The Bachelorette" in 2010, and even turned down the opportunity to be the next "Bachelor," he told Boston.com.

The two didn't find love on TV, but hit it off when they were introduced to each other by friends from the Bachelor Nation at a golf tournament in 2010, People reported in 2013.

They got married in May 2012 and have been together since.

"I'm so glad Andy Baldwin left me standing there on that aircraft carrier," Wright told People ahead of the couple's first anniversary in 2013. "I'm glad it didn't go any further because it wouldn't have worked out."

They have two children: a daughter, Lyla, who was born in November 2016, and a son, Hayes, who was born in December 2018.

The couple hosted the HGTV show "Going Yard," which ran for two seasons. They also collaborated with HSN on a furniture line called Chris and Peyton by Design.

Jesse Csincsak and Ann Lueders

Jesse Csincsak won the season of "The Bachelorette" he appeared on in 2008 and proposed to DeAnna Pappas, but the two broke up after a few months. His future wife, Ann Lueders, was eliminated on night one of Jason Mesnick's season in 2009.

The couple met on a "Bachelor" reunion cruise that Csincsak organized.

He told Hollywood 411 in 2017 that he "realized that there were a lot of women who had gone on the show who were also single and could understand what I was going through." Csincsak added that he began inviting past contestants to the reunions he hosted.

"Ann just happened to come on the first cruise I hosted to Mexico and the rest is history," he said.

Csincsak and Lueders married in 2010 while Lueders was pregnant with their first child, Noah.

According to Us Weekly, their daughter Charlotte was born three years later, and their third child, Brian, was born in December 2016.

Tara Durr and John Presser

Tara Durr and John Presser were both sent home on night one of their respective seasons, and they met on a private "Bachelor" alumni Facebook group.

Durr was eliminated after night one of Lorenzo Borghese's season of "The Bachelor" in 2006, and Presser was eliminated after night one of Jillian Harris' season of "The Bachelorette" in 2009.

According to People, they met through a private "Bachelor" alumni Facebook group in July 2009 and were engaged by February 2010. They were married later that year, in November, the St. Augustine Record reported at the time.

They have a son, Warner, and a daughter, Ellery.

• President Trump signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America.
• The federal government and military are already embracing the order, and Google Maps indicated it would also reflect the change.
• However, changing maps and charts isn't a simple process.

President Donald Trump's executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America is already resulting in changes across the federal government and military. Google Maps has indicated it would follow suit.

However, the federal process isn't as simple as crossing out the old name and writing in a new one. It's a complicated switch across the bureaucracy, involving a top-down effort to update official documents, communications, maps, and charts.

On his first day back in office as president, Trump issued an executive order on "restoring names that honor American greatness," directing the Secretary of the Interior to implement a change to the area of the US continental shelf "extending to Mexico and Cuba" and remove all mentions of the Gulf of Mexico across "all federal references."

The executive order also included the reversal of former President Barack Obama's naming of Denali, North America's highest mountain peak located in Alaska, to Mount McKinley in honor of former President William McKinley.

The name "Gulf of America" has long been debated and satirized. However, Trump's executive order is the first time the US has directly acted to change it.

While many Republicans, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green have embraced and lauded the move, it's also been met with backlash and confusion from some internationally. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said last week that "for us and for the whole world, it is still the Gulf of Mexico." Reporting from The Telegraph indicated that the United Kingdom won't recognize the name change.

Earlier this month, Mexico's Sheinbaum joked that because a world map from 1607 — 169 years before the US was founded — labeled North America as Mexican America, perhaps the continent should be named as such.

Across the federal government and military, the change to "Gulf of America" has been quickly implemented. Sources familiar with the matter told Business Insider that internal documentation and public-facing communications are already updated or in the process of being updated, with map and chart changes to come.

On Friday, the Department of the Interior announced efforts were underway to make the changes.

Inside the Interior Department, the Board on Geographic Names has purview over names for federal use, but that's only binding to federal departments and agencies.

In the past, the board and the US Geological Survey would act immediately to update the Geographical Names Information System, a database of more than two million physical and cultural features throughout the US and its territories. The Department of State would update the Geographic Names Server, which defines geographic feature names outside of the US. But it's up to each agency and office to update their websites and information accordingly.

A US Navy spokesperson said once the internal systems the Navy gets its information from are updated, its maps and charts will be updated.

Google said on Monday that Google Maps would reflect the ordered name changes to the Gulf of America and Mount McKinley once the Geographic Names Information System is updated, in accordance with "a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources."

It also said that Google Maps users see the official local name in their region when nomenclature varies between countries, and the rest of the world sees both names.

The changing of some other maps and charts may involve a longer process. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, for example, is engaging with the Board on Geographic Names for further guidance on the implementation, Scott Smullen, the deputy director of NOAA Communications, said.

The process from there, specifically how quickly maps will be updated across the federal government and military, appears fairly complex, requiring updating every reference.

According to Trump's executive order, the Secretary of the Interior has 30 days to implement the name change and ensure "all federal references to the Gulf of America, including on agency maps, contracts, and other documents and communications shall reflect its renaming."

The US Coast Guard's District 8, which oversees the Gulf of Mexico area, said it was "acting in compliance" with Trump's executive order. Just a day after Trump's executive order, the Coast Guard began using the term when announcing deployed assets to the maritime border between Texas and Mexico.

At this time, Apple Maps hasn't renamed the body of water. The Associated Press said last week that it would still use the name Gulf of Mexico while also acknowledging the Gulf of America in its style guide. It said that "as a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences."

BI's style is consistent, using the name "Gulf of Mexico."

As Trump's executive order is only effective domestically, other nations and international organizations could continue to refer to the region as the Gulf of Mexico, and similar variations exist elsewhere in the world. The Persian Gulf located south of Iran, for example, has long been the site of controversy, with some nearby Arab countries like Saudi Arabia calling it the Arabian Gulf.

• The White House ordered a pause on all federal grants and loans starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
• The memo sparked confusion as organizations worked to figure out which programs would be impacted.
• Experts told BI that programs like Head Start and housing vouchers could be immediately impacted.

Meals on Wheels for seniors in poverty, Head Start childcare, and Section 8 housing vouchers are among the programs that could face funding delays after President Donald Trump suspended federal grants and loans.

A federal judge temporarily blocked the funding freeze right before it was set to go into effect on Tuesday evening, the Associated Press reported.

The Office of Management and Budget's internal memo sent Monday night and obtained by Business Insider said agencies must pause any payments to programs that include "financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal," suggesting the administration is looking to pause programs that are not in line with Trump's agenda.

It carved out exceptions for "assistance provided directly to individuals" and would not impact Medicare or Social Security benefits. Still, the order's lack of clarity has some groups that receive federal aid struggling to determine how they will be impacted.

As of Tuesday afternoon, BI reporters had contacted more than 60 federal, state, and nonprofit agencies. Those who responded overwhelmingly said they had no idea how the federal funding freeze would affect their work and were actively trying to figure it out.

A senior administration official told BI that the pause on federal grants is in accordance with the law and will not impact benefits provided directly to Americans.

Still, Meals on Wheels, which receives federal grants to provide meals to seniors, told BI in a statement that "the lack of clarity and uncertainty right now is creating chaos for local Meals on Wheels providers not knowing whether they're going to be reimbursed for meals served today, tomorrow, who knows how long this could go on."

Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut wrote on X Tuesday afternoon that his state's Head Start reimbursement system was shut down. "Preschools cannot pay staff and will need to start laying off staff very soon and sending little kids home," he wrote. Head Start's office did not respond to BI's request for comment.

The pause was set to begin on Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET, leaving some organizations that receive federal aid scrambling to determine how to account for this order.

Which programs could be most at risk

While the order seems to clearly target funding for programs that could fall under a broad DEI or renewable energy umbrella, implications for other groups are much less clear.

Depending on how long the freeze on federal grants and loans last, some programs could be impacted in a matter of days. Bobby Kogan, senior director of federal budget policy at the left-leaning think-tank Center for American Progress, highlighted two programs: Head Start, which receives federal funding to help low-income children and families receive aid for early childhood education, and Section 8, which provides housing vouchers for low-income individuals and families.

Head Start receives its funding through annual contracts on a rolling basis, so the grant freeze would delay payments for facilities that were expected to get funding on February 1. Additionally, Section 8 vouchers are distributed to housing authorities, and those who do not have cash reserves may be unable to help voucher recipients with their rent on February 1.

"Some impacts are immediate, and some are not immediate, but the longer that it goes on, the more things are impacted," Kogan told BI.

BI obtained a memo OMB sent to federal agencies requesting they complete a spreadsheet detailing the objectives and funding schedules of federal programs they oversee. Those programs included SNAP, WIC, and aid for homeless veterans, among other things. It's unclear how OMB will use that information, especially because a senior administration official said SNAP would be exempt from the freeze. But the items on the list could signal programs Trump's administration is looking to target.

Sharron Parrott, president of the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, compared the grants pause to a government shutdown — but she said that the preparation that typically goes into a shutdown is missing here.

"It is a terrible thing when the government shuts down, and lots of people are hurt in a whole variety of ways, but that careful preparation, that figuring out what needs to continue to preserve life and safety, is incredibly important," she said. "That's completely absent from this chaotic process."

Some Democratic lawmakers have also highlighted potential programs at risk under a hiring freeze. Sen. Bernie Sanders said in a statement that the memo has sparked confusion over the fate of Head Start, nutritional assistance for pregnant mothers through the WIC program, and heating for low-income Americans.

"The Trump Administration's action last night to suspend all federal grants and loans will have a devastating impact on the health and well-being of millions of children, seniors on fixed incomes, and the most vulnerable people in our country," Sanders said.

The freeze on grants and loans is already facing legal challenges, as well — a group of state attorneys general said they would sue to stop the freeze, and a group of nonprofits filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to prevent it from going into effect.

Are you a federal worker, or do you have a tip to share? Reach out to this reporter at [email protected] or contact her securely on Signal using this link.

• Drake has one of the most unexpected and impressive careers in the music industry.
• The now-iconic rapper released his first mixtape in 2006 and left "Degrassi" in 2008.
• He has won five Grammys, broken several chart records, and released 13 No. 1 albums.

Although Kendrick Lamar fans may object, numbers don't lie: Drake is one of the biggest rappers of all time.

Since his emergence in the late aughts, the 38-year-old has released more than a dozen No. 1 projects, outselling the classic "greats" like 2pac, Jay-Z, and Eminem while harnessing the quirks of the streaming era.

So how did a former child actor from Canada manage to eclipse the success of his own mentors, date Rihanna, win five Grammys, and break several records previously held by The Beatles?

Here's a complete timeline of Drake's major life events and his rise to global stardom.

Aubrey Drake Graham was born on October 24, 1986.

Drake's parents divorced when he was 5. His father, Dennis Graham, is Black and Catholic; his mother, Sandra, is white and Ashkenazi Jewish Canadian.

"We have a very deep musical background. My grandmother, who passed away in Memphis, used to babysit Louis Armstrong. And my dad was a drummer for Jerry Lee Lewis," Drake told Hip Hop Canada in 2006. "On my mom's side, it's a white, Jewish, very structured and conservative family."

"There are a lot of accolades on that side of the family too," he added. "I am aware that I am not the first person [in the family to embrace music] but I would like to become the first one to be an icon."

Drake was primarily raised by his mother, a teacher, in Toronto. He has described Sandra as "godlike," but she became bedridden from various health issues: "She smoked cigarettes and took her pain meds, deteriorating every day, essentially dying," Drake recalled to GQ.

Drake has said he grew up "very poor, like broke," despite spending some of his adolescence in the affluent neighborhood Forest Hill.

"I grew up on Weston Road. That's near the west end of the city. It's not the nicest area in the world," he told Complex. "I moved to Forest Hill in the sixth grade. So I didn't grow up in Forest Hill."

"My mother happens to be a Jewish woman. She wanted the best for her family. She found us a half of a house we could live in," he continued. "It was not big, it was not luxurious. It was what we could afford."

Drake attended a Jewish day school as a child, "where nobody understood what it was like to be Black and Jewish," he told Heeb magazine. Throughout his career, he has drawn inspiration from his heritage.

"I'm proud, a proud young Jewish boy," Drake said in behind-the-scenes footage from his "HYFR" music video, which was conceived as a reenactment of his childhood Bar Mitzvah.

"When I had a Bar Mitzvah back in the day, my mom really didn't have that much money. We kinda just did it in the basement of an Italian restaurant, which I guess is kinda like a faux pas," he explained, per Digital Spy. "I told myself that if I ever got rich, I'd throw myself a re-Bar Mitzvah."

At 14 years old, he landed a role in the Canadian teen drama series 'Degrassi'

Drake — then still going by the name Aubrey Graham — was cast as Jimmy Brooks, a popular eighth grader, basketball star, and eventual paraplegic in the original cast of "Degrassi: The Next Generation." 

"I was in class, and I used to always crack jokes in class. I was a good liar and a good talker. And this kid in my class was like, 'Yo, my dad is an agent. You should go talk to him because you're good and you make people laugh,'" Drake explained to GQ. "I was just good. I was my father's son. I was slick, you know? When it comes to knowing what to say, to charm, I always had it."

GQ reported in 2013 that Drake made $40,000 a year during his run on the show. Around that time, he also started writing song lyrics.

"17, 18, is when I was really getting into that hip hop phase, you know, and really studying the things that I needed to study as far as learning about flows and learning about lyrics," he told GQ.

In resurfaced footage for "Degrassi Unscripted," Drake gives a tour of his home that he shared with his mom and grandma, showing the camera multiple notebooks filled with song lyrics.

"I write songs, I do music," he says. "These are full from front to back of just songs, pages and pages of lyrics and ideas — something that I'll probably never use, I mean, 'cause they're old. I just like to keep them around for nostalgia purposes."

Later in the video, Drake shows off the "studio" in his basement bedroom and even raps a verse, calling himself "the new version of Fresh Prince."

In one episode of "Degrassi," Drake's character also performs a rap song.

During the fourth episode in the seventh season, which originally aired in the US in October 2007,  Jimmy freestyles during a school talent show.

At the time, Drake was already working on his own music off-camera.

"How I got into rapping was, my dad was in jail for two years and he shared a cell with this dude who didn't really have anyone to speak to," Drake told Complex. "So, he used to share his phone time with this dude and at the time I was probably 16 or 17, this dude was like 20 to 22, and he would always rap to me over the phone."

"After a while, I started to get into it, and I started to write my own shit down," he continued. "And after a while, he would call me and we would just rap to each other."

In 2008, Drake quit acting in order to pursue music full time

Jimmy made his final appearance in the eighth season of "Degrassi."

During an interview with W magazine, Drake said he was "kicked off" the show due to his hectic schedule. The rapper had already released his debut mixtape, "Room for Improvement," in 2006 and his second mixtape, "Comeback Season," in 2007.

"Back then, I'd spend a full day on set and then go to the studio to make music until 4 or 5 a.m. I'd sleep in my dressing room and then be in front of the cameras again by 9 a.m.," he explained to W. "Eventually, they realized I was juggling two professions and told me I had to choose. I chose this life."

On February 13, 2009, Drake dropped his third mixtape, "So Far Gone," under his self-created October's Very Own label. It was well-received by critics, caught fire online, and made Drake a household name.

"The tape has made him good and famous for real," Tom Breihan wrote for Pitchfork four months after its release. "I don't know how this kind of thing happens; I just watch it."

Drake told Heeb magazine that just before its release, he was "teetering on getting a regular job."

"I was coming to terms with the fact that, OK, people know me from 'Degrassi,' but I might have to work at a restaurant or something just to keep things going," he explained. "The money from that show was very small. And it was dwindling."

The mixtape's most successful track, "Best I Ever Had," was released as its lead single. The song was nominated for two Grammy Awards — best rap solo performance and best rap song — and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

"Best I Ever Had" kicked off Drake's reign over the charts. He would later become the first-ever artist to log eight straight years on the Hot 100.

Drake was romantically linked to Rihanna for the first time in May 2009

Following the "Rude Boy" singer's highly publicized breakup with Chris Brown, Rihanna and Drake were spotted getting close at Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge in New York City. According to Page Six, the two artists were "making out all night" and seemed "really cute together."

Though Rihanna insisted they were only ever "friends," Drake would later open up about his unrequited love for her.

"I was a pawn," Drake said in a 2010 interview with The New York Times. "You know what she was doing to me? She was doing exactly what I've done to so many women throughout my life, which is show them quality time, then disappear. I was like, 'Wow, this feels terrible.'" 

In an interview with MTV News, he added that Rihanna is an "overwhelming and incredible person."

The two maintained a creatively fruitful relationship, releasing five collaborations together until their eventual fallout.

In June 2009, Lil Wayne signed Drake to his new label, Young Money

Sources told Billboard at the time that three major labels were dueling for Drake's loyalty in "one of the biggest bidding wars ever."

Eventually, Lil Wayne's label Young Money, distributed through Universal Republic, offered Drake a $2 million advance and sealed the deal in June 2009. (Entertainment Weekly asked "Is he worth it?" in a now-hilarious headline.)

Drake has often been described as Lil Wayne's protégé and the two have maintained a close friendship.

However, during an interview with The Fader in September 2009, Drake indicated that "putting a [Young Money] logo on the disc is more of a nod to his mentor than a structural reality."

"I respect the fact that Wayne put me in this position," he said. "But as an artist, I have to do my own thing at this point. I'm not sure if that's gonna be a struggle in the next couple months, to set myself apart. I don't want it to feel like a disrespectful thing, but I know it's a bridge that I'm going to have to cross as far as becoming my own person."

On June 15, 2010, Drake's debut studio album 'Thank Me Later' dropped after much anticipation

Following the success of "Best I Ever Had" and his massive record deal, "Thank Me Later" became one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2010.

"I'm not overwhelmed by what everyone else wants this first album to be — I'm overwhelmed by what I know I need it to be," Drake told Interview magazine before its release. "I just gotta keep going 'cause it's so easy to lose your grasp on the game if you're ever even blessed enough to get ahold of it. So I'm just kind of trying to keep things at the pace they're moving at now."

The resulting album — which featured contributions from big names like Jay-Z, Kanye West, Timbaland, Nicki Minaj, and, of course, Lil Wayne — debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200, selling 447,000 copies in its first week. It went platinum in Canada in less than one week. 

Two months after its release, Drake hosted the first-ever OVO Fest, which would soon become a Toronto summer staple.

Drake pulled out all the stops for the inaugural festival, performing a 90-minute set and welcoming guests like Eminem and Jay-Z.

Later that year, Drake earned his first No. 1 hit with 'What's My Name?'

Drake's first duet with Rihanna, a single from her fourth album "Loud," rose to No. 1 on the Hot 100 shortly after its release.

"What's My Name?" became Rihanna's third chart-topping hit and Drake's first ever.

"Drake is the hottest rapper out right now and we've always been trying to work together," Rihanna told MTV News at the time. "He's the only person I thought could really understand the melody of the song, and the minute he heard it he said, 'I know exactly what I'm going to do. I love it.' And he did it like three days later."

Drake changed the game with his 2011 sophomore album 'Take Care'

Among other triumphs, "Take Care" features the fan-favorite song "Marvin's Room," as well as a Rihanna feature on its titular track. It's a moody, atmospheric record — initially panned by some rap fans as being too emotional.

"People are always like, 'Man, this isn't real rap,' but I don't know man. It's real to me and a lot of other people, apparently. That's all I have to say about that," Drake told Complex in response to the criticism. "To get those emotions through music is life to me. That's life to me. That's what real is to me."

The album was lauded by critics: NME called it an "affecting masterpiece," while Rolling Stone praised Drake's ability to "collapse many moods... into one vast, squish-souled emotion."

"'Take Care' isn't a hip-hop album or an R&B album so much as an album of eccentric black pop that takes those genres as starting points, asks what they can do but haven't been doing, then attempts those things," The New York Times wrote. "In the future an album like this will be commonplace; today, it's radical."

"Take Care" is now considered by many fans as Drake's best effort to date — and, indeed, it earned him his first Grammy for best rap album the following year.

The album's fourth single 'The Motto' is credited with popularizing the acronym 'YOLO'

Drake's reputation for writing lyrics tailor-made for Instagram captions can largely be traced back to his "Take Care" singles.

"The Motto," for example — which earned Drake a nod for best rap song at the 55th Grammy Awards — is massively responsible for the ubiquity of the phrase "YOLO." 

"You only live once: that's the motto, n----, YOLO," Drake raps in the hook.

"The abbreviation has been bouncing around Twitter for a while now, but it cemented its place in cultural conversation when it was written into the Drake song 'The Motto,'" Maura Judkis wrote for the Washington Post.

Drake retroactively earned his high school degree in 2012

At 25, Drake announced that he had officially graduated high school, describing it as "one of the greatest feelings in my entire life."

Drake attended two separate high schools in Toronto, but he eventually dropped out, thanks in large part to his hectic "Degrassi" schedule and burgeoning career.

He continued to push rap's boundaries with 'Hold On, We're Going Home'

"Hold On, We're Going Home" was released on August 7, 2013 as the lead single from Drake's third album, "Nothing Was the Same."

The song saw Drake double down on the melodic sing-rap style he'd become known for, and it paid off, peaking at No. 4 on the Hot 100.

"It's not a rap record... It's not 'Versace,' it's not 'Started from the Bottom.' In approaching this album I was like, man, it would be great if we had a record that was played at weddings in 10 years," Drake told MTV. "Something that just [has] timeless writing, timeless melody."

Pitchfork named "Hold On, We're Going Home" the best song of 2013. Business Insider ranked it at No. 36 on our list of the decade's best songs.

"Nothing Was the Same," Drake's third studio album, later dropped on September 24, 2013. It was widely praised by critics and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

In 2015, dubbed the 'Year of Drake,' he became the first hip-hop artist since 2004 to have two No. 1 projects in the same year

On February 12, 2015, Drake surprised the world by dropping "If You're Reading This It's Too Late" without any prior rollout or announcement.

The 17-track mixtape quickly went platinum — even before Drake proceeded to drop a collaborative mixtape with Future, "What a Time to Be Alive," in September. The latter was also certified platinum later on.

2015 also saw Drake linked to Serena Williams, debut "OVO Sound Radio" on Apple Music, and handily win his first high-profile rap beef with Meek Mill.

"After a quiet 2014 for Toronto's resident 6 God, Drake made sure to dole out more than enough material in 2015 to keep the Internet spinning in a perpetual Drizzy daze," Rolling Stone wrote in an article titled "2015: The Year in Drake."

The 'Hotline Bling' music video was released in October 2015, racking up over 1 billion views

The music video for "Hotline Bling," Drake's first to cross the nine-figure threshold on YouTube, embraced retro monochromatic color schemes and the rapper's own dad-like dance moves.

"It took what felt like milliseconds for millions of memes, GIFs, and parodies to flood the web, creating a surprisingly unifying trend," Rolling Stone wrote, affirming that the clip helped Drake reach "a new level of cultural saturation."

"Hotline Bling" peaked at No. 2 on Hot 100 and added two more Grammy Awards to Drake's collection (best rap/sung performance and best rap song).

'One Dance' took over the world in 2016, becoming Drake's first solo No. 1

After notching his second No. 1 collaboration with Rihanna, "Work," in March 2016, Drake released two new singles to promote his forthcoming album.

The dancehall-infused offering, "One Dance," became Drake's first No. 1 single as a lead artist on the Hot 100 (as well as topping charts in 10 other countries). 

Drake dropped his fourth studio album, "Views," later that month. Despite its release as an Apple Music and iTunes exclusive, the album amassed almost 250 million streams in its first week without Spotify listeners, more than doubling the streaming record set by Beyoncé's "Lemonade."

"Views" topped the Billboard 200 for 10 nonconsecutive weeks.

Meanwhile, "One Dance" continued its reign on the Hot 100 far beyond the release of "Views." On October 15, "One Dance" became Spotify's most-streamed song ever with over 882 million streams. (The record was later broken by The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights.")

Drake's 2017 project 'More Life' broke the single-day record for album streams on both major platforms

Drake released "More Life," which he described as a "playlist of original music," on March 18, 2017.

Just 24 hours later, it had been streamed 89.9 million times on Apple Music and 61.3 million times on Spotify, setting records for both platforms.

Two months later, Drake won 13 awards at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, which broke the record for the most wins in a single show.

In September 2017, Drake made his debut as a film producer with the documentary 'The Carter Effect'

"The Carter Effect," a documentary about eight-time NBA All-Star Vince Carter, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. Drake and his longtime manager, Adel "Future the Prince" Nur, acted as producers for the film.

In what The Hollywood Reporter dubbed his "ambitious push into film and TV," Drake also made plans with Nur to executive produce a Netflix revival of the British series "Top Boy."

THR reported that Apple had given Drake "the go-ahead to produce whatever he chooses... just as the cash-flush titan is poised to shake up the content space."

"I'm sure I'll stop [making music] one day," Drake told THR. "I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. But I do plan on expanding — to take six months or a year to myself and do some great films. Music's always there."

Nearly one year later, HBO picked up the series "Euphoria" — a gritty teen drama starring Zendaya and produced by indie film studio A24 — with both Drake and Nur joining as executive producers.

The show premiered in 2019 to critical and commercial success. After two seasons, it has won nine Emmy Awards out of 25 nominations.

Drake secretly became a father in October 2017

TMZ initially broke the story in May 2017 that Drake had fathered a child with former adult film actor Sophie Brussaux. At the time, a rep for Drake denied the claim but noted, "If it is, in fact, Drake's child, which he does not believe, he would do the right thing by the child."

Drake later confirmed that he had a son on his 2018 album "Scorpion." On the closing track "March 14," he describes the day his paternity was confirmed, his desire to create a stable environment for his child, and how he struggles to see himself as a single father.

"She's not my lover like Billie Jean but the kid is mine / Sandi used to tell me all it takes is one time, and all it took was one time / Shit, we only met two times, two times," he rapped, referring to his mom Sandra.

Drake's son Adonis Graham was born on his father's birthday, October 24.

Drake's 2018 hit 'God's Plan' broke Taylor Swift's record for the most streams in a single day in the US

"God's Plan" released as one of two songs in Drake's mini EP "Scary Hours," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The EP's second song, "Diplomatic Immunity," clocked in at No. 7 — making Drake the first artist to twice debut two songs in the top 10 simultaneously.

Just two days later, Spotify announced that "God's Plan" had broken the record Taylor Swift set with "Look What You Made Me Do" for the most streams in a single day in the US.

Less than three months later, Drake's next single, "Nice For What," replaced "God's Plan" at the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, making him the first artist to have a new No. 1 debut replace their former No. 1 debut.

"God's Plan" went on to win a Grammy for best rap song and was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2019. (It has since been joined by five more Drake songs on the RIAA's prestigious list.)

Drake traded barbs with Pusha T in May 2018, culminating in the latter's devastating diss track 'The Story of Adidon'

Drake and Pusha T had been swapping diss tracks for many years, but their feud was reignited in 2018 when Pusha T's song "Infrared" —included on the rapper's album "Daytona," which was produced by Kanye West, aka Ye — poked fun at speculation that Drake uses ghostwriters.

Drake quickly responded with "Duppy Freestyle," on which he rapped, "Tell Ye we got an invoice coming to you / Considering that we just sold another 20 for you." (He did, indeed, send an invoice later via social media.)

After a few days, Pusha T hit back with "The Story of Adidon," which featured Drake in blackface as the cover art.

In the song, Pusha T revealed that Drake is hiding a son he had with a "porn star" and accused him of being a "deadbeat" dad.

Drake never responded with his own diss track, which led many fans to declare Pusha T the winner. Drake has since claimed that he'd had a response ready, in which he admittedly said "terrible things," but ultimately decided not to release it: "I got home, listened back to it, and I was like, 'Man, this is not something I ever want to be remembered for.'"

Drake released his longest album to date, 'Scorpion,' on June 29, 2018

With 25 songs divided into a rap-centric A Side and a more R&B-focused B Side, "Scorpion" is nearly 90 minutes long — his longest ever.

Despite the recent reputational hit from his losing battle with Pusha T, Drake's time-consuming gambit paid off. Seven of the songs from "Scorpion" landed in the top 10 on the Hot 100 simultaneously, besting the Beatles' record (five) that had stood since 1964.

"Scorpion" became Drake's eighth album to debut at No. 1 and was streamed over 170 million times in its first 24 hours, breaking (naturally) another Spotify record.

The album formed yet another cultural touchstone: it spawned an internet craze with the "In My Feelings" challenge, honestly addressed the feud with Pusha T, and closed with an emotional open letter to Drake's son.

Drake then embarked on his Aubrey & The Three Migos tour, during which he blew Adele's mind and ended his long-standing feud with Meek Mill.

Drake dropped two compilation albums in 2019 and 2020

On August 2, 2019, Drake released "Care Package," a compilation of cuts and demos made throughout his career that were never officially released. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Nine months later, on May 1, 2020, he released another compilation. "Dark Lane Demo Tapes" was described by Drake as "some leaks and some joints from SoundCloud and some new vibes." It included the single "Toosie Slide," which had previously debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100.

The latter was widely seen as a warm-up to Drake's sixth studio album, "Certified Lover Boy," which he announced at the same time. It was originally slated for release in summer 2020, but weathered several delays.

Drake made history in 2021 by debuting three songs in the Hot 100's top three simultaneously

On March 5, 2021, Drake released a short project titled "Scary Hours 2," billed as a sequel to his 2018 EP.

The new collection included three songs, all of which arrived in the top three of the Billboard Hot 100: "What's Next" debuted at No. 1, "Wants and Needs" (featuring Lil Baby) at No. 2, and "Lemon Pepper Freestyle" (featuring Rick Ross) at No. 3.

Drake joined The Beatles and Ariana Grande as the only artists ever to chart songs at Nos. 1, 2, and 3 simultaneously — and the first artist in history to have all three songs debut in those positions. (More artists have since joined the ranks, including Swift and Lamar.)

Shortly after, Drake was honored as Billboard's Artist of the Decade at the 2021 BBMAs.

At the ceremony, Drake dedicated the award to his friends, collaborators, peers, "beautiful family," and 3-year-old son Adonis, whom he brought onstage.

"I'm really self-conscious about my music," Drake said onstage. "I rarely celebrate anything, and, just for anyone watching this that's wondering how this happened, that's really the answer. It's being so unsure how you're getting it done, that you just keep going in the hopes of figuring out the formula. Feeling so lucky and blessed that the fear of losing it keeps you up at night."

Drake released 'Certified Lover Boy' on September 3, 2021. It instantly became one of the most successful albums of all time.

After nearly one year of anticipation, Drake's sixth studio album debuted atop the Billboard 200, becoming his milestone 10th No. 1 on the chart.

"Certified Lover Boy" boasted the biggest release week of the year with 613,000 equivalent album units earned.

Although Drake didn't release any singles before the album's release, the seventh track, "Way 2 Sexy," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In fact, "Certified Lover Boy" brought unprecedented chart domination, even for a commercial giant like Drake.

He became the first artist in history to occupy nine of the Billboard Hot 100's top 10 spots. In fact, he took the entire top five, becoming the first soloist to do so and the second artist ever, following The Beatles in 1964. (Drake's feat has since been bested by Swift with "Midnights" and "The Tortured Poets Department," both of which dominated the entire top 10 upon release.)

At the time, "Certified Lover Boy" was the only album to yield so many top 10 hits in its entire lifespan, let alone simultaneously. Four albums were previously tied for the record, having managed to produce seven top 10 hits: Michael Jackson's "Thriller," Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A.," Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation 1814," and Drake's own "Scorpion."

He released two more No. 1 albums, 'Honestly, Nevermind' and 'Her Loss,' in 2022

Drake's seventh studio album, "Honestly, Nevermind," was surprise-released on June 17, 2022. Predictably, it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Just five months later, Drake unveiled "Her Loss," a collaborative album with 21 Savage. It too debuted at No. 1 with the fourth-largest streaming week ever for any album.

Drake won his fifth Grammy at the 2023 ceremony

Back in 2020, Drake criticized the Grammys after his collaborator and fellow Toronto native, The Weeknd, failed to receive any nods for his acclaimed album "After Hours."

"I think we should stop allowing ourselves to be shocked every year by the disconnect between impactful music and these awards and just accept that what once was the highest form of recognition may no longer matter to the artists that exist now and the ones that come after," he said.

Drake, who has received 55 nominations to date, decided to stop submitting his solo music to the nominations process. He even asked the Recording Academy to remove him from the ballot in 2022.

However, Drake still managed to win best melodic rap performance in 2023, thanks to his feature on Future's hit single "Wait For U."

Taking home his fifth Grammy may have inspired Drake to change his tune because he submitted "Her Loss" for consideration in various categories at the 2024 ceremony. It received four nominations, including best rap album.

'For All the Dogs' arrived in October 2023 and quickly became another commercial juggernaut

Despite mixed reviews, Drake's eighth studio album became his 13th No. 1 project (a grand total that includes solo studio albums, collaborations, mixtapes, and compilations).

According to Billboard, "For All the Dogs" racked up more than a half-billion streams across 23 songs — the biggest streaming week of 2023 and the fourth-biggest ever, surpassing "Her Loss."

Two songs from the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — the lead single, "Slime You Out" featuring SZA, and "First Person Shooter" featuring J. Cole — extending Drake's record for the most No. 1 song debuts of any artist in history (nine).

Including songs that climbed up the chart, Drake now has 13 No. 1 hits to his name, tying Michael Jackson for the fourth-most in history. They trail Rihanna (14), Mariah Carey (19), and The Beatles (20).

However, "First Person Shooter" had adverse implications, too — inadvertently launching Drake into a vicious rap beef with Lamar that dominated headlines for much of 2024.

• Costco's commitment to diversity and inclusion is facing fresh scrutiny from Republicans.
• In a letter to CEO Ron Vachris, 19 attorneys general urged the company to end its DEI programs.
• Costco shareholders last week overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to report on potential DEI risks.

Costco appears to have a target on its back.

The wholesale club's commitment to DEI is facing fresh scrutiny from 19 Republican attorneys general who say the retailer is "clinging" to "divisive and discriminatory DEI practices."

Led by Iowa's Brenna Bird and Kansas' Kris Kobach, the group sent a letter to Costco CEO Ron Vachris urging him to "end all unlawful discrimination imposed by the company through diversity, equity, and inclusion" policies.

The letter also cites President Donald Trump's executive order from last week that encouraged private companies to end DEI-related initiatives while moving to end the programs at federal agencies.

"Costco should not have policies that discriminate in hiring based on race or gender," the letter said.

The attorneys general did not identify in their letter any specific allegations of discrimination that had occurred at Costco as a result of its diversity-related policies. However, they said that several companies had faced lawsuits related to DEI policies and that ending them would reduce Costco's legal exposure.

Last week, 98% of Costco shareholders rejected a proposal from a conservative think tank to report on any legal and financial risks arising from DEI policies.

"The overwhelming support of our shareholders' vote really puts an answer to that question," Vachris said following the news.

The attorneys general said Costco had 30 days to either notify them that it had ended its DEI policies or explain why it had not.

Many companies, including Meta, McDonald's, and Walmart, have decided in recent months to roll back or end their DEI programs. Target said on Friday that it was ending multiple DEI programs in an effort to stay "in step with the evolving external landscape."

Others, like Costco, have publicly supported DEI. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon recently defended the bank's diversity initiatives.

"We are going to continue to reach out to the Black community, the Hispanic community, the LGBT community, the veterans community," Dimon said.

If you are a Costco worker who wants to share your perspective, please contact Dominick via email or text/call/Signal at 646.768.4750. Responses will be kept confidential, and Business Insider strongly recommends using a personal email and a nonwork device when reaching out.

• Trump is freezing federal grant funding, raising major constitutional and legal questions.
• Democrats are calling Trump's actions an attack on the institution of Congress itself.
• Republicans, meanwhile, are treading more lightly.

With President Donald Trump's administration temporarily freezing some federal grant funding, lawmakers on Tuesday warned that the move threatened to render Congress irrelevant as an institution.

"If this stands, then Congress may as well adjourn," said Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with Democrats.

"This is an attempt to seize power," said Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut. "This is not a good faith, temporary pause to try to figure out whether money is being spent in accordance with the law."

On Monday, the acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget issued a memo directing agencies to pause the disbursement of federal loans and grants to assess whether they are in compliance with Trump's recent executive orders, including on foreign aid and DEI. The memo states that Social Security and Medicare will not be affected.

The scope of the order still remains unclear, with some senators on Tuesday saying that their Medicaid portals had become inaccessible. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later wrote on X that "we expect the portal will be back online shortly."

Regardless, Trump's move cuts to the very heart of the separation of powers. The now-frozen federal grant funding was previously approved via sweeping spending bills passed by Congress. Those bills, particularly under the last two years of divided government, have been the result of complex and lengthy negotiations between members of both parties.

"Can you imagine what it's going to be like for any of us, either under this administration or future administrations of any kind, if those agreements mean nothing?" said Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. "We cannot function as a democracy in this country if we cannot respect and abide by our ability to make agreements in Congress."

The Impoundment Control Act (ICA) of 1974, along with subsequent Supreme Court rulings, generally requires that the executive branch must spend money appropriated by Congress. Trump and his advisors have long argued that the law is unconstitutional, and he has pledged to challenge it in court. Separately, several Republicans recently introduced a bill to repeal the ICA, arguing that Congress can no longer be relied upon to cut federal spending on its own.

Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, both of whom chair committees that oversee federal spending and the budget, greeted the news with mild concern on Tuesday.

"I think there is benefit in taking a look at federal spending to see where we can be more efficient, to identify duplicative programs," Collins, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, told reporters. "But this is far too sweeping, and will have an adverse effect on the delivery of services and programs."

"I'd like to know what the game plan is here," Graham, the chair of the Senate Budget Committee, told reporters. "I want to try to find out what's happening here, and give people back home some idea of what to expect."

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, meanwhile, offered a defense of the move. "I think the president has every right to review the terms on which federal funding grants are dispersed, how they're being dispersed, where they're going, which is what I think they're doing here," Hawley said. "If you can't do that, then why do we have an independent executive?"

Democratic senators are incensed, but it's not yet clear what they'll do about it in the long run. It may ultimately take the courts, even the Supreme Court, to resolve the matter. Several lawsuits are already being launched in response to Trump's freeze.

"We need to act with some urgency," Murphy said. "We can't continue business as usual here when there is a literal constitutional crisis unfolding beneath our feet."

For now, the Democratic resistance on Capitol Hill appears to be taking the form of protest votes. Twenty-two Democratic senators voted against confirming Trump's nominee to be secretary of transportation, former Rep. Sean Duffy, after none of them voted against him in a procedural vote on Monday.

"I was ready to confirm Sean Duffy to lead the Department of Transportation, but I cannot vote for him after the chaos President Trump has unleashed with his order to pause critical federal funding to Nevada," Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto of Nevada said in a statement.

House Democrats, meanwhile, plan to strategize further on Wednesday. In a letter to members, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the party would discuss a three-pronged strategy regarding government funding, litigation, and communications.

• Murray Bartlett said that season two of "Nine Perfect Strangers" has "great twists and turns."
• The actor said that he plays a former children's TV host who has a puppet.
• Season two was filmed in Munich and Bartlett said it has a "gothic" aesthetic.

After memorable turns in "The White Lotus" and "The Last of Us," Murray Bartlett is returning to the small screen for season two of Hulu's hit drama series "Nine Perfect Strangers." This time, he'll have a companion with him.

"I'm an ex-children's TV host, and I have a puppet," Bartlett told Business Insider's Caralynn Matassa of his character while attending the Sundance premiere of his new film "Opus."

"It's an amazing cast, there's some great twists and turns in the story this season, and we shot in the most beautiful locations," Bartlett added."It's kinda gothic this season."

"Nine Perfect Strangers" is based on author Liane Moriarty's New York Times bestselling book of the same name. Season one stars Nicole Kidman as a mysterious health guru named Masha Dmitrichenko, who runs a boutique wellness retreat called Tranquillum House and welcomes nine guests hoping for a total transformation.

The eight-episode first season of "Nine Perfect Strangers" made a splash on Hulu upon its release in August 2021, setting a record as the most-watched Hulu original ever — drama, comedy, limited series or unscripted — on premiere day and after five days on the streamer.

"Nine Perfect Strangers" was renewed for season two in June 2023, with Kidman confirmed to return as Masha. Season two centers on guests at a new retreat location in the Swiss Alps.

"Swiss Alps and crazy!" Kidman, who also serves as an executive producer, told Deadline in April. "Hold on tight, cause it's going to get wild!"

Bartlett told BI that season two of "Nine Perfect Strangers" was filmed in Munich and Austria.

"It was so beautiful, we had a really fun time," he said.

In addition to Bartlett, season two includes a host of new characters played by Henry Golding, Mark Strong, Lena Olin, Annie Murphy, Christine Baranski, Dolly De Leon, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, King Princess, Aras Aydin, and Lucas Englander.

The release date for season two has not been announced.

• The White House shared first lady Melania Trump's official portrait for Donald Trump's second term.
• In the image taken by photographer Régine Mahaux, Trump wears a Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo suit.
• Mahaux told BI that the portrait shows the first lady is "ready to embrace her position."

The White House released first lady Melania Trump's official portrait on Monday, marking her reentry into the role as President Donald Trump begins his second non-consecutive term.

While the first lady remains an enigmatic figure, her White House portrait may provide some insight into how she'll approach the position.

The photographer, Régine Mahaux, has photographed Melania Trump before

Régine Mahaux, a Belgian photographer based in Paris, has photographed the Trump family for over 20 years, including family portraits in their Trump Tower residence in New York City.

Mahaux also took Trump's official portrait during her husband's first term in 2017.

Mahaux told Business Insider that Trump "has a great sense of humor" and maintains a "peaceful atmosphere" during their photo shoots.

"The first lady is a very creative person to do shootings with, which makes the job as an artist that much more interesting," Mahaux said. "She comes to do the shoot with deep respect for me and my crew. She has strong work ethics and morals. She gave me her trust and never took it back."

Mahaux also shared that she chose to photograph Trump in black and white because "the first lady is a modern woman who has always been fond of black and white."

Melania Trump wore a Dolce & Gabbana suit

In the new portrait, Trump wore Dolce & Gabbana's Twill Turlington tuxedo jacket, which retails for $3,245, wool gabardine tuxedo pants, which cost $1,495, and stretch poplin tuxedo shirt, which costs $925, according to the designer's website.

Hervé Pierre, who designed both of her inaugural gowns, styled the first lady for the photo shoot.

Trump also wore a black Dolce & Gabbana suit in her 2017 White House portrait.

The photo shows 'a woman who's ready to embrace her position'

Trump's portrait was taken in the White House's Yellow Oval Room, which functions as the first family's formal living room. The Washington Monument, visible through the window in the background, adds gravitas to the shot.

Dressed in a sharp suit, she leans on a table reminiscent of Donald Trump's boardroom in "The Apprentice." Mahaux said her portrait of Trump represents the first lady as "an active, hardworking woman" who is "strong, respectful, and elegant."

"I find it to be powerful and it shows a woman who's ready to embrace her position," she said.

Trump has already indicated a more public-facing presence for her second term in the White House. She published a memoir, "Melania," in October, and serves as the executive producer of a forthcoming documentary about her life as first lady, which Amazon will reportedly license for $40 million.

• Meta's Reality Labs exceeded nearly all its 2024 sales and user targets, an internal memo said.
• In the memo, seen by BI, Meta's CTO said 2024 was "pivotal" for Reality Labs.
• The executive said Meta has seen "massive sales growth in wearables" and its Quest brand is strong.

Meta's Reality Labs beat nearly all its sales and user targets for 2024, Business Insider has learned.

The company's chief technology officer, Andrew Bosworth, announced Reality Labs grew 2024 sales by 40%, according to an internal memo seen by BI.

Bosworth announced a reorganization in the post, shared on Meta's Workplace internal forum, while giving employees insight into the division's performance.

"2024 was a pivotal year for Reality Labs and positioned us for greatness in 2025," Bosworth wrote.

"The team beat nearly all of last year's aggressive sales and user goals, growing RL sales >40% YoY overall," he added. "We are seeing massive sales growth in wearables and the Quest brand has never been stronger."

On Christmas Day, the company's Horizon app, which users must download to set up Meta's Quest virtual-reality headsets, was the top free app on Apple's App Store in the US and the UK, which suggested strong holiday demand.

Bosworth added that the Reality Labs Business Group, the division that was led by Reality Labs COO Dan Reed, was a "major part" of setting the company up for the future.

Meta didn't respond to a request for comment.

Meta's Reality Labs division has been under scrutiny as it continues to incur substantial losses due to heavy investments in augmented-reality technology. Since 2020, Meta has recorded losses of more than $50 billion from the group.

Meta CFO Susan Li said in a recent earnings call that Meta planned to continue to invest significantly in Reality Labs, which Li said was a "strategic long-term priority."

Meta is scheduled to announce fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday.

In the third quarter, Reality Labs reported operating losses of $4.4 billion. The division's revenue for that quarter rose 29% year on year to $270 million.

Do you work for Meta? Got insight to share? Contact the reporter Jyoti Mann via Signal at jyotimann.11 or via email at [email protected]. Reach out from a nonwork device.

• Boom Supersonic's XB-1 test jet broke the sound barrier for the first time on Tuesday.
• The XB-1 is a subscale version of its planned passenger model.
• The company's CEO says the US aviation market is being held back by Boeing.

Boom Supersonic just became the first US commercial planemaker to break the sound barrier, a significant milestone in the industry's return to supersonic passenger flight.

CEO Blake Scholl told Business Insider that the company's planned Overture commercial jet is a critical technology for helping the US aviation industry stay ahead of the competition, especially as China's homegrown jetliners gain traction and Boeing continues to face delivery delays.

"Boeing hasn't built a new airplane in 20 years, and China now has a 737 competitor, and they're working on a 787 competitor, "he said. "Unless we innovate here, everyone outside the US will be flying around in Chinese planes, and that's not in the distant future — it's soon."

Overture, a larger and faster passenger-carrying version of the test jet, is planned to launch in 2029 with a top speed of Mach 1.7, Boom says. That's about twice the speed of current airliners. American Airlines, Japan Airlines, and United Airlines have already placed 130 pre-orders for the speedy jet.

Tuesday's flight was the prototype's 12th flight, hitting a top speed of Mach 1.1 over the Mojave Desert. One final test is planned for February before full production begins.

Boom wants the US to beat China to supersonic passenger flights

China's increasing interest in Mach-speed flight has caught the eye of Congress.

Trump's transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, has said he wants to establish rules that promote innovation and creativity in the faster-than-sound market and ensure companies like Boom have access to corridors to test their aircraft — something Scholl said will be an important aid in getting Overture off the ground.

"I am thrilled with the pro-innovation, pro-progress, let's go faster mindset that that we have with Secretary Duffy, he said. "I think that's important because we can't let China win this."

Chinese startup Space Transportation has been developing a Mach 4 aircraft — more than twice the speed of Overture — that it plans to develop into a full-scale passenger airliner capable of hypersonic travel, or Mach 5, by 2030.

Despite the competition, Scholl said China is about a decade behind the US in the supersonic space — but that doesn't mean it can be counted out.

"China is about 10 years behind, and what that means is in 10 years, they're caught up," he said, referring to China as a "freight train coming" in aviation. "In 11 years, they're ahead."

Scholl said Boeing is holding the US back

Scholl said Boeing's ongoing production and quality problems have stalled the introduction of new US-made aircraft types.

The last time the American planemaker built a new airliner was in 2009 when it flew its 787 Dreamliner for the first time. Its yet-to-be-certified 777X is at least six years behind schedule.

"We've watched what used to be a great company at Boeing really struggle," he said. "I think it's really important that we not just leave all of our eggs in the Boeing basket."

He said China's Comac planes, including the C909 and C919, and the under-development C929, could puncture the Airbus-Boeing duopoly.

Comac's fleet rivals Western options but has yet to fly outside of China and Indonesia. Reuters reported that China aims to expand its C919 presence into Southeast Asia by 2026 and obtain European certification as soon as 2025.

Scholl said this expansion could threaten the US's place in the global aviation market, emphasizing Boom's importance to stay ahead.

"If we don't invent and build the next generation of commercial airplanes here in America, it's a problem for jobs, it's a problem for economics, and it's a problem for national security," he said.

Overture could be less costly than the Concorde

Overture could revive the Concorde era and connect places like New York and London in less than four hours, and Seattle and Tokyo in less than five.

Scholl said Overture will be more economical than Concorde, which last flew in 2003, thanks to its 20% more aerodynamic design, lighter carbon-fiber airframe, and 20% more fuel-efficient engines.

Boom's biggest challenge is the engine. The startup chose to build its own engine, Symphony, to power the plane.

"People called us crazy for building our own engines, but what I've come to believe is we were crazy to think of doing it any other way," Scholl said. "It would be really efficient at high speed, not require a lot of maintenance, and be friendly to airport communities."

Symphony is expected to decrease takeoff and landing noise while flying subsonic over land. Scholl said future Overture versions are planned to fly Mach-speed over land by eliminating the sonic boom.

He said another significant change from the Concorde will be ticket price, which will be more affordable due to the 64-80 possible seats and Overture's fuel-saving engines and airframe.

Scholl said business fares will hover around $5,000 roundtrip instead of the Concorde's up to $20,000.

"It's not yet for everybody, but the top 20% of flyers are already at that price point today," he said. "That's tens of millions of people, so for the same price point, you'd be able to get there in half the time."

From exclusive menu items to portion sizes, we wanted to find all the differences between the US and UK Domino's menus in 2024 and see what's changed since 2020. This is "Food Wars."

• Meta is reorganizing Reality Labs to make it a business priority, a leaked memo shows.
• The reorganization follows major changes at the company including coming performance-based cuts.
• Reality Labs faces scrutiny for racking up losses; Meta sees it as a strategic long-term priority.

Meta is shaking up Reality Labs and integrating it more closely with its core business.

Chief technology officer Andrew Bosworth announced a series of reorgs in a post on Meta's internal forum Workplace, which Business Insider viewed.

Bosworth said Reality Labs has "become a positive driver for Meta's overall brand", which has sparked the reshuffle.

As part of the changes, Brent Harris, VP of Meta's wearables business group, and Brett Vogel, the company's VP of product marketing and Metaverse, and the product marketing team will now work under the team of Meta's Chief Marketing Officer, Alex Shultz.

Colan Sewell, VP and chief revenue officer of Reality Labs, along with its sales employees, will now report to Meta's head of partnerships and business development, Justin Osofsky.

Alessio Sanfilippo, VP of analytics in Reality Labs, will report directly to Bosworth.

"Keeping those functions integrated with Reality Labs makes a lot less sense when our products are now such a major driver of overall company brand and sentiment," Bosworth wrote.

He added, "With the rebrand to Meta and a much more integrated vision of the future, especially with AI, the inverse is also true as we depend a great deal on the rest of the company. Now that the industry has their eyes set on the categories we've defined, we'll need to tap into Meta's full power to win what comes next."

Meta previously reorganized some of its major units in October and cut roles at Reality Labs, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Last June The Verge reported that the company separated the division into two organizations, Wearables and Metaverse. As part of the restructuring, a small number of people were laid off.

Meta didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

Meta's Reality Labs division is under increasing scrutiny as it continues to incur substantial losses and significant investments in the unit. Since 2020, Meta has recorded losses of more than $58 billion.

In the company's most recent earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Susan Li said the Reality Labs is a "strategic long-term priority."

Meta also warned investors it anticipated the division's operating losses to "increase meaningfully year-over-year" in 2024 as a result of costs related to scaling and product development.

The latest reorg comes as Meta is set to report its fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday.

Read the full memo Bosworth shared on Workplace:

What's next for RLBG

TLDR: Today we're announcing that the Go To Market teams in the RL Business Group (RLBG) will move to Javi's central Cross-Meta Foundations (XF) team. RLBG's Analytics and UXR teams will remain in the org as RL Insights led by Alessio, reporting to me.

2024 was a pivotal year for Reality Labs and positioned us for greatness in 2025. RLBG was a major part of setting us up for the future. The team beat nearly all of last year's aggressive sales and user goals, growing RL sales>40% YoY overall. We are seeing massive sales growth in wearables and the Quest brand has never been stronger. RLBG also led the charge in building out analytical capabilities and made us more customer-focused. They improved how RL operates through Must.Go.Faster. Their XFN leadership of Connect changed the way we announce our products to the world. All of which helped RL become a positive driver for Meta's overall brand.

It is this last point that is motivating this change. Keeping those functions integrated with Reality Labs makes a lot less sense when our products are now such a major driver of overall company brand and sentiment. With the rebrand to Meta and a much more integrated vision of the future, especially with AI, the inverse is also true as we depend a great deal on the rest of the company. Now that the industry has their eyes set on the categories we've defined, we'll need to tap into Meta's full power to win what comes next. That means our Go To Market needs to have tight companywide alignment.

Given these new opportunities and challenges, it's the right time to integrate RLBG's GTM teams with Meta's broader business efforts in XF. We have an opportunity to grow our full marketing funnel via FoA, leverage company-wide sales and partnership strategies to accelerate growth, and more.

Effective today:

• Brent Harris, Brett Vogel, and the business group and PMM teams will move from RL to Alex Schultz's MAGD.org, reporting to Denise Moreno.
• Colan Sewell and the RL Sales team will move to Justin Osofsky's Partnerships org.
• Alessio Sanfilippo will report to me, and Seran Chen will report to Alessio to form a unified RL Insights team and continue to drive our data and customer-focus efforts within the product group.

Dan will lead this transition and deserves special metnion. His vision, focus on execution, and ability to partner across the breadth of the business powered RLGB's success over the last 2.5 years. It is exactly that progress that has made the work of Reality Labs so important to the overall company brand that we felt compelled to make this change. He's also been a great partner to me personally in how we operate the team. I want to thank him for his outstanding leadership in Reality Labs. I can't wait to see what he does next as he explores his next opportunity here.

Our products are the best they've ever been and thanks to the teams in RLBG more people than ever are experiencing them. I am excited to see our work carry ever more weight in how the company and the world think about Meta.

Are you a Meta employee? Got insight to share? Contact the reporter Jyoti Mann via Signal at jyotimann.11 or via email at [email protected]. Reach out from a nonwork device.

• Nonprofits, health workers, and small business owners joined in suing the White House on Tuesday.
• NY, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, NJ, and Rhode Island are also suing to stop the freeze.
• A Washington, DC, judge agreed to halt the freeze minutes before it took effect at 5 p.m.

A group of nonprofits, health workers, and small business owners have successfully asked a federal judge in Washington, DC, to immediately halt the Trump administration's freeze on federal loans and grants before it was to take effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Separately, the attorneys general of six states — New York, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island — said they will also sue to challenge the freeze.

"There is no question this policy is reckless, dangerous, illegal, and unconstitutional," New York's attorney general, Letitia James, said.

"From the families who rely upon Head Start for child care, to the children across the country who depend on SNAP for their next meal, to the seniors who rely on state services to get the care that they need, this policy will disrupt the lives of millions of Americans," she said.

Program funding was already being halted in some states ahead of the 5 p.m. deadline, James said Tuesday afternoon at a press conference with the five other state attorneys general.

"Head Start was frozen in Michigan, access to child development block grants were frozen in Maryland," she said. "At least 20 states have been frozen out of their Medicaid reimbursement systems,
including New York."

Rob Bonta, California's attorney general, said the freeze could threaten FEMA disaster relief funding for those affected by the state's wildfires.

"It's thrown state programs into chaos and created confusion among our residents," Bonta said.

A lawsuit filed by the National Council of Nonprofits, the American Public Health Association, the Main Street Alliance, and the nonprofit SAGE said the freeze order was "devoid of any legal basis" and would harm hundreds of thousands of grant recipients who depend on federal grants.

The suit was filed hours before the freeze was scheduled to take effect. Nearly at the stroke of 5 p.m., US District Judge Loren L. AliKhan granted the suit's request for a temporary restraining order, the Associated Press reported.

The freeze effort was first detailed in a two-page internal memo sent Monday by Matthew J. Vaeth, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget. It ordered federal agency heads to freeze payments "to the extent permissible under applicable law."

The agencies must complete "a comprehensive analysis" to determine whether their federal assistance programs comply with Trump's executive orders, the memo said.

It set a February 10 deadline for agencies to submit to the Office of Management and Budget "detailed information on any programs, projects or activities subject to this pause." The OMB said it would review and provide guidance on that spending.

The memo said that federal assistance should not be used to fund "wokeness" and "the weaponization of government."

"The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve," the memo said.

In a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, the OMB stressed that the funding is not being permanently stopped.

"This pause could be as short as a day if an agency determines that the funds at issue do not conflict with the Administration's policies," the statement said.

"To act as faithful stewards of taxpayer money, new administrations must review federal programs to ensure that they are being executed in accordance with the law and the new President's policies. If the pause will have an adverse impact, the memo expressly provides that agencies can seek exemptions on a case-by-case basis," it said.

Correction: January 28, 2025 — An earlier version of this story misspelled the name of California's attorney general. It is Rob Bonta, not Rob Banta.