The White House Office of Management and Budget on Wednesday rescinded a memo that froze federal grants and loans and created widespread confusion this week.

The White House budget office Wednesday rescinded the federal aid freeze, according to multiple media reports citing an administration memo.

President Donald Trump's administration appeared to abandon its proposed freeze on hundreds of billions of dollars in aid on Wednesday in the face of legal setbacks and widespread opposition, though officials said they still planned to cut funds for activities opposed by Trump.

The move comes after the order sparked widespread criticism and confusion. A federal district judge had temporarily paused the freeze.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Social Security, Medicare and food stamps would not be affected by the decision to freeze federal aid. NBC News’ Sahil Kapur reports on the Trump administration’s first White House press briefing and whether Medicaid could be among the programs affected.

Trump’s early, extraordinary steps pose a direct challenge to a fundamental underpinning of the Constitution: the power of the purse.

The White House is considering challenging the constitutionality of a 50-year-old law limiting the president’s control over federal spending, easing the firing of civil servants, curbing pay and reining in independent agencies,