The original decision caused chaos and confusion and led to panicked calls to governmental agencies and public officials, before a federal judge paused the order.

The new memorandum, just two sentences long, will allow agencies to continue their normal operations after uncertainty over the impact of the initial directive caused widespread chaos across government. It followed a temporary injunction by a federal judge that prevented the original Office of Management and Budget memo from taking effect.

Still, the chaotic 48 hours suggested that some in the Trump administration had overestimated their ability to impose ideological purity tests on federal funding. The order interrupted the Medicaid system, which provides health care to millions of low-income Americans, and left thousands of people in limbo.