GAO: Trump Admin Illegally Withheld Head Start Funds

An independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation found that the Trump administration unlawfully withheld over $825 million in federal funding from the Head Start program between January and mid-April 2025, distributing only 65% of the prior year's funding during this period. This action violated the Impoundment Control Act and the Head Start Act, leading to financial hardship for centers serving low-income families and forcing some to close. The GAO identified this as the administration's third such violation in 2025 and criticized the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for failing to provide a legal justification. After public backlash and legal challenges, normal Head Start disbursements resumed. HHS has disputed the GAO's findings but has not explained its actions. Head Start, which serves about 800,000 children, remains a vital and historically bipartisan resource for low-income families.